Hamas Chief's Three Sons And Two Grandchildren Killed In Israeli Airstrike On Car

Three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh were reported killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Wednesday, according to statements from the Palestinian Islamist group and Haniyeh's family.

The car carrying the three sons - Hazem, Amir, and Mohammad - was targeted and bombed in Gaza's Al-Shati camp, as reported by Hamas.

Photo Credit: PTI

Hamas Chief's family was killed in Israeli Airstrike

Additionally, two of Haniyeh's grandchildren were killed in the attack, with a third grandchild sustaining injuries, according to Hamas media. Haniyeh said that he has clear and specific demands which will not be compromised, as reported by pan-Arab Al Jazeera TV. He emphasized that targeting his sons during ongoing negotiations would not change Hamas' position.

Haniyeh, based abroad in Qatar, stated, "The blood of my sons is not more precious than the blood of our people."

Haniyeh has been the prominent voice of Hamas' international diplomacy during the conflict with Israel in Gaza, where his family home was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike last November, as reported by NDTV citing Reuters.

Hamas announced on Tuesday that it was reviewing an Israeli ceasefire proposal but deemed it "intransigent" and insufficient in meeting Palestinian demands. In the seventh month of the conflict, during which Israel's air and ground operations have caused extensive damage in Gaza, Hamas seeks an end to Israeli military actions and withdrawal from the enclave, along with permission for displaced Palestinians to return home.

Haniyeh's eldest son confirmed the deaths of his three brothers in a Facebook post, expressing gratitude for their martyrdom. Appointed to Hamas' top position in 2017, Haniyeh has resided between Turkey and Qatar's capital Doha, avoiding travel restrictions imposed by Israel on blockaded Gaza. This arrangement allows him to participate in ceasefire negotiations or communicate with Hamas' primary ally, Iran.

Israel considers the entire Hamas leadership as terrorists, alleging that Haniyeh and other leaders continue to direct Hamas' activities. However, the extent of Haniyeh's prior knowledge about the October 7 cross-border attack on Israel by Gaza-based operatives remains unclear. The attack plan, devised by Hamas' military council in Gaza, was kept highly confidential, leading some Hamas officials abroad to express surprise regarding its timing and scale.