Ismail Haniyeh killed in Tehran

Hamas leader and former Palestinian prime minister dies in explosion

31 July 2024

Ismail Haniyeh the leader of Hamas and former Palestinian prime minister was killed in his residence in Tehran Iran on Tuesday. The explosion that killed Haniyeh also killed his wife and daughter. Haniyeh was a senior Hamas leader who had led the Palestinian militant group's political operations since 2017.

Haniyeh was born in the Gaza Strip in 1963. He joined Hamas in the early 1980s and quickly rose through the ranks. He was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council in 1996 and served as prime minister from 2006 to 2007. Haniyeh was forced to flee the Gaza Strip after Hamas was defeated by Fatah in the 2007 Palestinian Civil War.

Haniyeh lived in exile in Damascus Syria from 2007 to 2012. He then moved to Cairo Egypt where he lived until 2015. Haniyeh moved to Tehran in 2015 and has lived there ever since.

Haniyeh was a controversial figure. He was accused of being a terrorist by Israel and the United States. However, he was also seen as a pragmatic leader who was willing to negotiate with Israel.

Haniyeh's death is a major blow to Hamas. He was one of the group's most senior leaders and his death is likely to have a significant impact on the group's operations.