Tragedy struck the family of Hamas' top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, on Wednesday when three of his sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip. The news was confirmed by relatives and Hamas media channels. Haniyeh himself mourned the loss of more family members and issued a stern warning to Israel, declaring that the resilience of the Palestinian people will not be broken.
The three sons, Ameer, Hazem, and Mohammed Haniyeh, lost their lives near the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, as reported by Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately respond to the strike, which targeted a vehicle close to a residence belonging to the Haniyeh family.
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Speaking to Al Jazeera in a live interview on Wednesday, Haniyeh expressed the deep pain felt by the people of Gaza, emphasizing that the loss of their sons has come at a great cost. He revealed that some of his grandchildren were also among the casualties, sharing that they were attacked while visiting relatives during Eid.
"By targeting sons of the leaders, the occupation believes they can weaken our people's resolve," declared Haniyeh. "But we will not back down. We are determined to continue until we have liberated Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa."
Haniyeh revealed that 60 members of his family have lost their lives since the commencement of Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas, which was triggered by the group's violent attack on October 7.
Although Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by Israel and the U.S., it also stands as one of the two major Palestinian political factions. Haniyeh, serving as the leader of the group's politburo, has been residing in Qatar for years, where the group's office is located.
