Is Israel Behind Ismail Haniyeh's Assasination? Here's What Hamas Says

The Hamas has claimed that an Israeli airstrike killed its leader Ismail Haniyeh even as Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it is investigating the attack.

The terror group stated that Ismail Haniyeh was killed "in a Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran" after attending the swearing-in of Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, alongside other Hamas officials and officials from Hezbollah and allied groups.

"Hamas declares to the great Palestinian people and the people of the Arab and Islamic nations and all the free people of the world, brother leader Ismail Ismail Haniyeh a martyr," the Hamas said. It has also quoted Haniyeh as saying that the Palestinian cause has "costs" and "we are ready for these costs: martyrdom for the sake of Palestine, and for the sake of God Almighty, and for the sake of the dignity of this nation."

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh along with one of his security guards was assassinated in Iran. Following the attack on October 7 last year, Israel had vowed to eliminate Haniyeh and other leaders of Hamas . The surprise attack had killed 1,200 people and saw some 250 others taken hostage.

However, TV analysts on Iranian state television have also blamed Israel for the attack.

Meanwhile in the West Bank, the internationally recognized Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, describing it as a "cowardly act and dangerous development." In response, various political factions in the occupied territory have called for strikes in protest.

Haniyeh, who left the Gaza Strip in 2019, had been living in exile in Qatar. The current top Hamas leader in Gaza is Yehya Sinwar, who orchestrated the October 7 attack.

Earlier in April, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza resulted in the deaths of three of Haniyeh's sons and four of his grandchildren. During an interview with Al Jazeera at the time, Haniyeh stated that the attacks would not force Hamas to soften its stance in ongoing cease-fire negotiations with Israel.

Haniyeh's death follows Israel's rare strike on Beirut, which it claimed killed Fouad Shukur, a senior Hezbollah military commander. Hezbollah has yet to confirm Shukur's death. The strike also resulted in the deaths of at least one woman and two children, and injured dozens of others.

On the other hand, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the latest development will not help Israel achieve its goal.

"We are waging an open war to liberate Jerusalem and are ready to pay any price," he is quoted saying.