“Blood Of My Children Is Not More Valuable...": Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh After Six From Family, Including 3 Sons, Killed In Israeli Attack (Image: ecfr.eu)

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh mourns the loss of six family members, including three of his sons, in an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza refugee camp. Haniyeh, head of Hamas’s political bureau and based out of Qatar currently, undeterred by the tragedy, asserted that the killing of his loved ones will not sway Hamas”s demands in ceasefire negotiations with Israel. He states, “The blood of my children is not more valuable than the blood of the children of the Palestinian people … All the martyrs of Palestine are my children.”

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Haniyeh reaffirmed Hamas”s unwavering stance, emphasising that the attack on his family underscores Israel”s “failure” and will not alter the group”s position in ongoing talks. Despite the devastating loss, Haniyeh remains resolute, declaring that through the sacrifices of martyrs, hope and freedom for the Palestinian people are forged.

Condolences pour in from Qatar”s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Israeli army spokesperson confirmed the targeting of Haniyeh”s children and grandchildren in the strike, escalating tensions amidst the already dire situation in Gaza.

Ismail Haniyeh, born in 1962 in a Gaza refugee camp, became a prominent leader in Hamas after joining its precursor, Islamic Student Bloc, in 1983. As the second Intifada erupted in 2001, Haniyeh consolidated his position as one of Hamas’s political leaders. Haniyeh escaped an Israeli assassination attempt in 2003. Jailed and deported by Israel, he returned to lead Hamas to a 2006 election victory. Despite being dismissed as prime minister by President Abbas, he remained the de facto leader in Gaza and was elected head of Hamas”s political bureau in 2017.

As the death toll in Gaza rises to 33,482, with 76,049 wounded according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the conflict continues to exact a devastating toll on civilians, including thousands of children and women. The escalation of violence underscores the urgent need for a lasting ceasefire and a comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.