Ismail Haniyeh assassinated: Old video of Hamas chief celebrating Oct 7 massacre in Israel resurfaces (WATCH)
Amidst the ongoing Gaza war, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in a targeted strike on his residence in Iran's capital Tehran on Tuesday.
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FollowAmidst the ongoing Gaza war, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in a targeted strike on his residence in Iran's capital Tehran on Tuesday. The Palestinian group confirmed his death in a statement, calling it a "treacherous Zionist raid." The incident is said to have occurred just after Haniyeh attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
"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," the statement read.
Hamas and Iran have reacted with shock and anger to the assassination. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards corroborated Hamas's account, stating that Haniyeh was killed alongside one of his bodyguards. Hamas officials have condemned the killing, describing it as a "grave escalation" and accusing Israel of attempting to "break the will of Hamas."
"This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas," senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri.
The assassination follows a vow by Israel to eliminate Haniyeh and dismantle Hamas after the October 7 attacks in southern Israel, which left over 1,195 people dead, most of them civilians. Haniyeh had been a prominent figure within Hamas since its founding in 1987 and had led the organization since 2017. He was known for his diplomatic missions to Turkey and Iran, maintaining relationships with various Palestinian factions.
Following Haniyeh's assassination, an old video has surfaced online showing Haniyeh celebrating the October 7 attacks. The footage, widely shared on social media, depicts him expressing support for the attacks, which has been described as one of the deadliest against Jews since the Holocaust.
Meanwhile, Israeli Minister Amichay Eliyahu responded to the assassination with a controversial post on X (formerly known as Twitter), stating, "this is the right way to clean the world from this filth."
As tensions continue to escalate, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 39,400 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Haniyeh's assassination marks a significant moment in the ongoing conflict, with potential ramifications for regional stability and international relations.
