Hamas’s political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, has been assassinated in Tehran, the capital of Iran, while attending the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, according to a statement from the group that governs Gaza, which blamed Israel for his death. His bodyguard was also killed after a strike targeted their residence.
In a statement, Hamas said: “The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas mourns to our great Palestinian people, to the Arab and Islamic nation, and to all the free people of the world: Brother, leader, martyr, Mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, who was killed in a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new Iranian president.
Iran’s IRGC confirmed his assassination but did not provide details on how Haniyeh was killed, stating that the attack is under investigation.
Israel launched a war in Gaza, promising to kill Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders, after the group attacked “Israel” on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 200 others were taken captive.
At least 39,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war, with 90,996 injured.
Haniyeh left the Gaza Strip in 2019 and lived in Qatar. The top Hamas leader in Gaza is Yahya Sinwar.