Ismail Haniyeh
Ismail Haniyeh is the political head of Hamas living in Qatar. He was in Tehran, Iran to attend the inauguration of the newly elected President ‘Masoud Pezeshkian’.
Earlier in April, three of his sons were also killed by Israeli forces. Haniyeh, along with one of his guards, was reportedly killed at his Tehran residence, according to an IRGC statement.
“With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and the combatants of the Resistance Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning [Wednesday], the residence of Mr. Dr. Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred, the IRGC statement read. “Early this morning, the residence of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was struck, resulting in his and one of his body guard’s martyrdom. The cause is under investigation and will be announced soon.”
It is still not clear, how the attack took place. A report from the Jerusalem Post said was killed in an airstrike on his Tehran residence, reportedly carried out by Israel. Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya reported that he was killed at approximately 2:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.
This significant event occurred on Wednesday 31, July and has sent shockwaves through the region, raising questions about the future leadership of Hamas and the implications for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Response
There has been no official response from Israel as of 11 am the 31st of July.
In response to the news, Heritage Minister of Israel Amichay Eliyahu wrote on X: “This is the right way to clean the world from this filth: no more imaginary ‘peace’/surrender agreements, no more mercy for these mortals. The iron hand that will strike them is the one that will bring peace and a little comfort and strengthen our ability to live in peace with those who desire peace. Haniyeh’s death makes the world a little better.”
אֶרְדּ֣וֹף א֭וֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵ֑ם
וְלֹֽא־אָ֝שׁ֗וּב עַד־כַּלּוֹתָֽם׃זו הדרך הנכונה לנקות את העולם מהזוהמה הזו.
לא עוד הסכמי "שלום"/כניעה מדומיינים, לא עוד רחמים כלפי בני המוות הללו.יד הברזל שתכה בהם, היא זו שתביא לשקט ומעט נחמה ותחזק את היכולת שלנו לחיות בשלום עם אותם… pic.twitter.com/umCzG0JTmJ
— 🇮🇱עמיחי אליהו – Amichay Eliyahu (@Eliyahu_a) July 31, 2024
Official HAMAS Statement
“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful “Do not consider those who have been killed in the way of Allah as dead; rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.”
A senior Hamas official said that the killing of the Palestinian movement’s chief Ismail Haniyeh “will not go unanswered”.
“The assassination of leader Ismail Haniyeh is a cowardly act and will not go unanswered,”. Hamas political bureau member Musa Abu Marzuk said in a statement.
IDF strikes Beirut
This comes against the backdrop of Israel’s strike on Beirut on Wednesday killing Hezbollah’s most senior military commander and the head of its Strategic Unit, Fuad Shukr “Sayyid Muhsan,”. The Hezbollah official had a $5 million bounty “on his head,” according to the United States Rewards for Justice.
The attack was carried out in retaliation for the strike on Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights a few days earlier, which killed 12 Israeli Druze youth.
Implications
This significant escalation could push the region into deeper turmoil. The implications of Haniyeh’s death are severe. Whether Israel is responsible or not, the situation in Gaza will likely deteriorate, with no end in sight. Both sides appear determined to continue their conflict, leaving civilians to bear the brunt of the war.
With Haniyeh’s death, several pressing questions arise:
1. Leadership Vacuum: Who will replace Haniyeh as the new political head of Hamas?
2. Negotiation Hurdles: Who will Israel negotiate with for hostage releases? Will negotiations continue?
3. War Continuation: Will the conflict escalate without a ceasefire in sight?
The strike in Beirut is significant as Israel targeted the capital of another nation. With Haniyeh’s assassination in Iran, the Iranian government must respond to avoid losing face and the trust of its proxies. The coordinated need for response from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran increases the risk of a full-scale war.
The situation in the Middle East is becoming increasingly dire. The actions and reactions of the involved parties show no signs of restraint, further escalating tensions. The role of the US in stabilizing the situation will be crucial, and their response may determine the direction this conflict takes.