Israeli Air Strike Targets Home of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh
Israeli military forces have launched an air strike on the residence of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza. The Israeli Defence Forces released a video showing fighter jets bombing the house, claiming it belongs to Haniyeh.
Haniyeh serves as the head of Hamas’ political bureau and holds a high-ranking position within the organization governing Gaza. He is recognized as the leader of Hamas by multiple countries.
Israel alleges that Haniyeh’s house was being used as a terrorist infrastructure and a meeting point for senior Hamas leaders to coordinate attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.
In addition to targeting Haniyeh’s residence, Israeli troops also discovered and destroyed a weapons cache belonging to Hamas’ naval forces. The cache contained diving gear, explosive devices, and weapons, according to the IDF.
Hamas has reportedly taken around 240 hostages, including elderly individuals and young children. The offensive has resulted in a significant number of casualties, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting a death toll exceeding 11,500, including thousands of children. As a result, calls for a ceasefire are growing.
Ismail Haniyeh rose to prominence in the late 1990s and served as the right-hand man to the Hamas founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, in Gaza until Yassin’s assassination in 2004. Haniyeh then led Hamas to victory in the 2006 elections and became the Prime Minister of Palestine.
Since 2017, Haniyeh has primarily operated from outside Gaza while leading Hamas.
