The senior political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, has confirmed that three of his sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday in the Gaza Strip, Hamas-run media channels reported.
Quoted as saying, "I thank God for this honour that he bestowed upon us with the martyrdom of my three sons and some grandchildren, ” Haniyeh warned Israel that it would not "break the resolve of our people."
Ameer, Hazem and Mohammed Haniyeh were killed near the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, Hamas said.
Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday in a statement that its forces had killed “Hamas military operatives” who were responsible for conducting terrorist operations in Gaza.
IDF also claimed that Ameer, who was a cell commander, along with Hazem, were military operatives.
In response to Israeli claims, Hamas confirmed that a “bomb had hit a vehicle near a home belonging to the Haniyeh family.”
Haniyeh was the Palestinian Authority's prime minister before being sacked by President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007. He was chosen as Hamas' political bureau chief in 2017.
According to media reports, Ismail Haniyeh's sons are among the highest-profile figures to be killed in the war that began on October 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel.
While talking to Al-Jazeera, Haniyeh said, “All the people of Gaza paid a high price and saw their sons' blood being shed, and I am one of them”.
He added that several of his grandchildren were also slain, and the group was targeted while visiting relatives for Eid.
"The occupation thinks that by targeting sons of the leaders, they will break the resolve of our people," Haniyeh said. "We will not retreat, and we are going to go all the way to liberate Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa."
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