In a watershed moment amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran on Wednesday. Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated along with his bodyguard after their residence was targeted in Iran, confirmed the Palestinian militant group. Although Israel has not taken responsibility for killing Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas has termed its political chief's assassination 'in a Zionist strike' in Tehran. Notably, Ismail Haniyeh was on a visit to the Iranian capital Tehran to attend the swearing-in of Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian. Hamas' official statement reads, "Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, died in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new (Iranian) president." Notably, the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh is being closely watched by global media as it may flare tensions between Israel & middle east. Not only this, but Israel & Turkey can also come head to head in real. Now, the question arises who was Ismail Haniyeh? Below is all about Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh-
Who was Ismail Haniyeh?
Ismail Haniyeh, 62, was the face of Hamas' international diplomacy especially at a time when Israel has declared war on the Palestinian Armed Groups and a war is going on in Gaza for the last 10 months. It is pertinent to mention here that Israel had vowed to end Hamas after the October 7 terror attacks. When Hamas attacked Israel from land, water & sea, Ismail Haniyeh's video also went viral in which he was seen watching the attack on Israel & laughing. The video was reportedly shot in Qatar.
Ismail Haniyeh was residing in Qatar and was actively participating in peace talks between Israel & Hamas. Ismail Haniyeh was the chief of Hamas' political bureau and a long-time leader of the militant group, becoming a "specially designated" global terrorist by the United States.
Born in the Al-Shati refugee camp near Gaza City in 1962, Ismail joined Hamas in the late 1980s during the First Intifada (uprising). In 1988, Ismail was arrested by Israeli authorities and was imprisoned for six months for his participation in the first intifada against Israeli occupation. After remaining behind bars in Israel for three years, he was exiled in 1992 to a land between Israel and Lebanon.
However, after a year, Ismail returned to Gaza and became the personal secretary of Hamas' spiritual leader Sheikh Yassin. Sheikh Yassin was assassinated in 2003. Haniyeh rose quickly through Hamas' leadership ranks, being appointed part of a secret 'collective leadership' in 2004 to the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority in 2006.
In 2017, Ismail Haniyeh was designated as a "global terrorist" by the United States in 2017. He left Gaza Strip in 2019 and began living in Turkey and Qatar to represent Hamas abroad. He has led the Hamas delegation in ceasefire negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt on the Israel-Hamas war.