Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was assassinated on July 31, 2024, in Tehran, Iran, at the age of 62, in what Hamas has described as "a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence."


Haniyeh, who served briefly as the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority's government in 2006, was killed early Wednesday morning, along with a bodyguard, when his residence was targeted during Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. He was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Tuesday.


Born in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, Haniyeh became a prominent figure in the Palestinian liberation movement and was a constant target for Israel. Although Israel has not formally claimed responsibility for the assassination, an Israeli minister publicly celebrated Haniyeh's death on social media.


Haniyeh’s political journey began as a student activist at the Islamic University in Gaza City, where he studied Arabic literature and joined the Islamic Student Bloc in 1983. He became involved in protests during the first Intifada in 1987, the same year Hamas was founded, marking the beginning of his long association with the group.

Throughout his life, Haniyeh was imprisoned by Israel multiple times and was deported to Lebanon in 1992. He returned to Gaza a year later and became a close confidant of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Hamas's spiritual leader and founder. This association made him a key figure within Hamas and a frequent target for Israeli assassination attempts.


Haniyeh and Yassin narrowly survived an Israeli airstrike in 2003, further cementing his role as a symbol of Palestinian resistance. Despite his death, many will remember him as a figure who remained defiant in the face of Israeli occupation.