BEIRUT (AP) — Ismail Haniyeh, the top leader of Hamas in exile, who had been targeted by Israel following the militant group's devastating October 7 attacks, was killed in an airstrike in Tehran early Wednesday. He was 62. Hamas confirmed Haniyeh's death at his residence in the Iranian capital, where he had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's new president. Israel has yet to comment on the allegations.
Haniyeh's demise marks another high-profile assassination of a Hamas official by Israel since the October 7 attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of approximately 250 hostages. The subsequent conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated into the deadliest and longest war in the Arab-Israeli conflict, with over 39,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza health officials.
While Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, is considered the architect of the October 7 attacks, Haniyeh, who headed the group's political bureau, praised the operation as a significant blow to Israel's perceived invincibility. In a speech in Iran during the funeral of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Haniyeh declared, "The Al-Aqsa flood was an earthquake that struck the heart of the Zionist entity and has made major changes at the world level." He vowed to continue the resistance against Israel until all Palestinian lands were liberated.
Michael Milshtein, a Hamas expert at Tel Aviv University, noted that Haniyeh played a crucial role in the group's foreign policy and diplomacy but was less involved in military operations. "He was responsible for propaganda, for diplomatic relations, but he was not very powerful," Milshtein explained. "From time to time, Sinwar even laughed and joked: ‘He’s the more moderate, sophisticated leader, but he doesn’t understand anything about warfare.’"
Israel had vowed to target all of Hamas' leaders in response to the October 7 attacks and has been systematically working to fulfill that pledge. Haniyeh, who had been living in self-imposed exile in Qatar since 2019, continued to travel to Turkey and Iran despite the threats against him. From Doha, he was actively involved in negotiations aimed at achieving a cease-fire and securing the release of hostages.
His leadership role in Hamas also had personal costs; in April, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed three of Haniyeh's sons, prompting him to accuse Israel of acting in "the spirit of revenge and murder." Hamas reported that four of his grandchildren and his sister were also killed in separate strikes.
Haniyeh, born in Gaza's Shati refugee camp, joined Hamas upon its founding in 1987 and quickly rose through the ranks, eventually succeeding Khaled Mashaal as the top political leader in 2017. He was known for his deep religious convictions and his ability to deliver impassioned speeches to his supporters.
Hani Masri, a veteran Palestinian analyst, described Haniyeh as sociable and articulate, qualities that suited his role as the head of Hamas' political bureau. Haniyeh's journey with Hamas began under the mentorship of its founder, Ahmad Yassin, and he later served as prime minister in the Palestinian government after Hamas' victory in the 2006 legislative elections.
His tenure as prime minister was marked by the severe crisis within the Palestinian leadership, which persists to this day. Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza in 2007 established Haniyeh as the de facto ruler of the coastal enclave.
Iranian media quoted a past speech by Haniyeh, in which he acknowledged the sacrifices required for the Palestinian cause, stating, "We are ready for these costs: martyrdom for the sake of Palestine, and for the sake of God Almighty, and for the sake of the dignity of this nation."
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