Israel eliminates Hamas political wing chief, Ismail Haniyeh in Iran

New Delhi: Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas political wing chief, eliminated in attack on his residence in Iran 

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed in an attack on his Tehran residence. It is confirmed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

The statement offered condolences to the people of Palestine, the Muslim world, and the Resistance Front's fighters over the Hamas's leader's death. 

💔🇵🇸 BREAKING: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was just killed in Iran.

Rest in Peace pic.twitter.com/UnNn4B6oTM

— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) July 31, 2024

Ismail Haniyeh was in the Iranian capital to attend the swearing-in of Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian. However, it comes at a precarious time, as the Biden adminstration has tried to push Hamas and Israel to agree to at least a temporary ceasefire and hostage-release deal. 

Joined Hamas in 1987

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was elected as head of the political bureau in 2017 to succeed Khaled Meshaal. He also lived in exile and spilt his time between Turkey and Qatar. He joined Hamas in 1987 when the militant group was founded amid the outbreak of the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli occupation. 

Suspicion on Israel 

Suspicion immediately fell on Israel, which has vowed to kill Haniyeh and other leaders of Hamas over the group's Ocotber 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw some 250 others taken hostage. 

Sons, sisters killed in Israeli airstrike 

In April, Ismail Haniyeh's three sons, four grandchildren killed in an Israeli airstrike. Last month, the Hamas chief lost ten members of his family, including his sister, who were killed in another alleged Israeli airstrike in Gaza city.