Ismail Haniyeh's political journey is a testament to the endurance of the Palestinian struggle. Born in a refugee camp.
he rose to become a prominent leader within Hamas and assumed the role of Prime Minister during a tumultuous period in Palestinian politics.
Recently he led a lavish lifestyle with other leaders in Qatar
where he was assassinated by Israel in 2024 (see below)
The Economic Times Oct 12 2023
Ismail Haniyeh was prominent Palestinian political figure who has played a pivotal role in the complex and tumultuous landscape of Middle East politics. With a career marked by highs and lows, Haniyeh's journey reflects the enduring struggle for Palestinian self-determination and statehood. He is a millionaire, stemming from the 20% tax charged on all items entering through tunnels from Egypt to the Gaza Strip. He ordered the recent attack on Israel over the weekend, which resulted in over 1,500 deaths on both sides. Haniyeh is currently leading a lavish lifestyle in Qatar and reportedly watched the attacks from the comfort of his office.
Early Life and Background
Ismail Haniyeh was born on January 29, 1962, in Shati refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip, a densely populated coastal enclave, has been a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades. Growing up in a refugee camp, Haniyeh experienced firsthand the hardships and challenges faced by Palestinians in their quest for statehood. He is married with 13 children.
Education
He received his primary education in institutions managed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). He studied Arabic literature at the Islamic University of Gaza and became involved with Hamas while at university. He has also been involved with the Muslim Brotherhood and was head of the students' council representing the Muslim Brotherhood while at university
Hamas and Political Activism
Haniyeh's political journey is closely tied to the rise of Hamas, a Palestinian political and militant organization. Founded in the late 1980s, Hamas aimed to resist Israeli occupation and provide social services to Palestinians in need. Haniyeh's involvement with Hamas began in the early 1990s when he became associated with its charitable activities and later its political wing. He rose through the ranks of Hamas, and his commitment to the Palestinian cause and his leadership skills quickly became evident. Haniyeh's leadership during the Second Intifada, a period of intensified conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, catapulted him to the forefront of Palestinian politics.
Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority
In 2006, following democratic elections in the Palestinian territories, Ismail Haniyeh assumed the role of Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. However, this period was marked by internal conflict between Hamas and its rival, Fatah, which controlled the West Bank. This internal strife escalated into a violent confrontation in 2007, leading to the expulsion of Fatah forces from Gaza.The split between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Fatah and the Palestinian Authority retaining control of the former and Hamas governing the latter, has endured for over a decade. Haniyeh's tenure as Prime Minister was marred by political and economic challenges, as we'll as international isolation of the Hamas government.
Challenges and Controversies
Ismail Haniyeh's leadership has faced considerable scrutiny and controversy. Hamas's classification as a terrorist organization by some Western nations, including the United States and the European Union, has led to significant challenges for Haniyeh and the Gaza Strip. The region has grappled with a blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt, leading to economic hardships, humanitarian crises, and limited access to basic necessities. Furthermore, Haniyeh and Hamas have been involved in conflicts with Israel, including multiple military confrontations that have resulted in loss of life and extensive destruction in the Gaza Strip. These conflicts have drawn both international condemnation and regional support. Haniyeh has been arrested by Israeli authorities multiple times for his involvement in the Palestinian uprising against Israel.
Mediation Efforts and Reconciliation
In recent years, Haniyeh has been involved in mediation efforts and reconciliation attempts between Hamas and Fatah, as well as between Palestinian factions in general. These efforts have aimed to address the political division that has hindered Palestinian aspirations for statehood. One of the significant developments was the signing of a reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah in 2021. This agreement opened up possibilities for new Palestinian elections, which are seen as essential for reestablishing unified governance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Significance of Ismail Haniyeh
Ismail Haniyeh's political journey reflects the enduring complexities of Palestinian politics. He remains a symbol of resistance and determination in the face of adversity. Haniyeh's leadership within Hamas has both shaped and been shaped by the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, internal divisions, and international dynamics. As the political landscape continues to evolve, Ismail Haniyeh's role in mediating reconciliation and pursuing the Palestinian cause will be closely watched. While his journey has been marked by challenges and controversies, he remains a significant figure in the quest for Palestinian self-determination and statehood.Despite the challenges and controversies he has faced, Haniyeh's commitment to the Palestinian cause remains unwavering.
Hamas political leader Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, plunging Middle East conflict into dangerous new phase
(July 31 2024 by Rob Picheta, Helen Regan, Kareem El Damanhoury, Abeer Salman and Paul Murphy, CNN)
Hamas said its political leader Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in an overnight strike in the Iranian capital Tehran, a major development that throws the war between Israel and the militant group into an unpredictable and dangerous new phase.
Haniyeh's death is, both strategically and symbolically, a dramatic blow to Hamas, eliminating its most public figure who headed up the group's political operations while living overseas.
He is the second leader of an Iran-backed group reported to have been assassinated in the last day, following the killing of Hezbollah's most senior military commander in Lebanon.
In a statement, Hamas accused Israel of targeting Haniyeh and his bodyguard in a strike on the building in which he was staying in Tehran, where he had participated in Tuesday's inauguration of the new Iranian president. Hamas officials said Haniyehs death would not pass in vain and described the killing as a grave escalation, while Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said it was Irans duty to avenge Haniyehs death since he was killed inside Iran. According to the New York Times, which cited information provided by three Iranian officials, Khamenei issued an order for Iran to strike Israel directly following the killing.
At a news conference in Tehran later Wednesday, Hamas spokesperson and deputy head Khalil Al-Hayya said Haniyeh was hit directly by a rocket in the room where he was staying, and said Israel would pay the price for the heinous crime.
Iranian state run media IRNA said the strike happened at around 2 a.m. local time (6:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday), involving an airborne guided projectile. Irans new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, was sworn in on Tuesday and Hamas released pictures the same day of Haniyeh meeting Iranian officials in Tehran. State-affiliated Fars said Haniyeh was staying in a residence in north Tehran.
Israel's military said it does not respond to reports in foreign media, though senior officials have previously vowed to eliminate Hamas and its leadership in response to the groups October 7 attack on Israel. It later said it was conducting a situational assessment.
In contrast, Israel did confirm itcarried out a strikein Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday that killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, whom it blamed for a deadly attack in the Israeli-occupiedGolan Heightsover the weekend. Hezbollah later confirmed Shukrs death. His assassination was themost serious Israeli escalationin its confrontation with the powerful Lebanese militant group since it restarted in earnest last October.
Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, launched following the attacks led by the militant group on October 7, has sparked increasingly intense, near-daily ripples of conflict throughout the region. This weeks dual strikes, which came within several hours of each other, seemingly escalate that discord on multiple fronts, and will prompt renewed fears of anall-out war breaking outin the Middle East.
In a televised address Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had delivered crushing blows to its enemies in the last few days, but did not mention the death of Haniyeh.
Well settle the score with anyone who harms us, anyone who massacres our children, anyone who murders our citizens, Netanyahu said.
In a bellicose speech, he said he did not give in to earlier calls to end the war in Gaza and I am not giving in today. He conceded these are challenging days, but stressed Israel is ready for any scenario.
This weeks strikes may also dash any remaining hopes of a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza being reached in the near future, amid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the enclave. Haniyeh had played a leading role representing Hamas in months-long truce negotiations, which have repeatedly appeared to reach the cusp of a breakthrough, only to collapse at the last moment.
In a statement after the strike, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum which is campaigning to free the hostages still held in Gaza said that while (Israel's) military operations over the past 10 months have achieved significant security gains, true achievement can only be realized with the release of all 115 hostages still in captivity. It urged the Israeli government to decisively advance negotiations.
Haniyeh photographed at the inauguration ceremony for the new Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Tuesday, hours before his death.
Killing will complicate ceasefire talks
Haniyeh is the second Hamas senior leader to be killed since the war in Gaza began. In January, the group said the deputy head of its political bureau, Saleh Al Arouri, waskilled in an Israeli airstrikein Beirut. Arouri was considered one of the founding members of Hamas's military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
The impact of any single death in Hamas leadership structure is difficult to predict given the groups vast and opaque network, and it has been able to weather the death of other key leaders before including the slaying of its co-founders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Rantisi, killed weeks apart in 2004.
But Haniyehs death leaves Hamas without its public political figurehead, and likely represents a major setback to its international operations. It would not be expected to dramatically impact its military effort, but his demise may carry symbolic weight throughout the organization.
He had taken a central role in hostage and ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, and earlier this spring said Hamas was willing to strike a deal but added it would require Israel withdrawing from Gaza and a guarantee to cease fighting in the enclave permanently, demands that Israel has called unacceptable.
A source with knowledge of the negotiations told CNN on Wednesday that Haniyehs death could complicate mediation talks.
The source said Haniyeh along with Hamas military leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar was a key decision maker.
He was someone who saw the value of a deal and was instrumental to getting certain breakthroughs in the talks, the source added.
Haniyeh was in touch with mediators in Qatar and Egypt as recentlyas early July. Those talks now hang in the balance, despite some hope earlier this month that they we're nearing a framework agreement.
How can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on other side? Qatars Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, a mediator in the talks, posted on X on Wednesday. Qatars capital, Doha, also hosts the main Hamas political bureau. Peace needs serious partners & a global stance against the disregard for human life, Al-Thani wrote.
Dual deaths raise fears of all-out war
The killings of Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah's Shukr in Beirut are significant in both their timing and location.
Brigadier General (Res.) Assaf Orion, senior researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies think tank, said the two deaths increase the likelihood of an axis response, adding Iran and other proxy attacks to the menu.
Iran has spent years investing in regional proxy groups, informally known as the Axis of Resistance an anti-Israel and anti-Western alliance supplying them with money, weapons, and training as Tehran has sought to broaden its influence across the Middle East.
Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran sees it as its duty to avenge the killing of Haniyeh because he was assassinated on Iranian soil.The aftermath of an Israeli military strike on a building in Beirut on Wednesday. Israel said it targeted. a Hezbollah commander responsible for the attack that killed several children in the Golan Heights.
Anwar Amro/AFP/Getty Images
You killed our dear guest in our house and now have paved the way for your harsh punishment, Khamenei said in a statement referring to Israel. We consider it our duty to ask for the blood of our dear guest.
Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has brought that longstanding shadow war with Iran out into the open and inflamed opinion globally.
In a speech at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, Irans ambassador to the UN blamed the United States for the death of Haniyeh, saying it could not have happened without US authorization and intelligence support.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the US was not aware of or involved in the killing. In calls with both the Jordanian and Qatari foreign ministers, Blinken said it was important to continue the ceasefire talks and to prevent further escalation of the conflict, according to State Department readouts.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, while traveling in the Philippines, said he does not think war in the Middle East is inevitable, but if Israel we're to be attacked the United States would help defend it.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an elite wing of the Iranian military, said Haniyehs death was under investigation and results will be announced later Wednesday, according to Iranian state media.
And Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Haniyehs killing calling it a cowardly act and a dangerous development, according to the WAFA news agency on Wednesday. His Excellency called on the masses and forces of our people to unite, be patient and steadfast in the face of the Israeli occupation, WAFA reported.
A Hamas member for decades
Haniyeh, 62, was born in a refugee camp near Gaza City, and joined Hamas in the late 1980s during the First Intifada, or uprising.
As Hamas grew in power, Haniyeh rose through the ranks being appointed part of a secret collective leadership in 2004. By 2017 he had become chief of the group and was named a specially designated global terrorist by the US soon after.
Some Palestinians expressed shock and sadness at his death on Wednesday. Ismail Haniyeh is the son of Gaza. He represents my entire people, Ahmad Al Nims told a journalist working with CNN in Deir el-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.
Related articleWho was Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political leader killed in Tehran?
Another Gazan, Abu Yasser Hassoun, said the assassination had struck Palestinians like a thunderbolt. Palestinian analyst Mustafa Ibrahim told CNN that despite some disagreements, Haniyeh held a special place among the Palestinians.
Over the years, Haniyeh has participated in peace talks with formerUS President Jimmy Carter, and met with other world leaders including the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and Chinese diplomat Wang Kejian earlier this year.
In April, Israeli air strikes killedthree of Haniyehs sonsand four of his grandchildren, according to Hamas.
At the time, Haniyeh insisted their deaths would not affect ongoing ceasefire and hostage talks. Whoever thinks that by targeting my kids during the negotiation talks and before a deal is agreed upon that it will force Hamas to back down on its demands, is delusional, he said.
How Haniyeh spent the months after Oct. 7
After he celebrated seeing his fighters return to the Gaza Strip with Israeli equipment in Hamas office in Istanbul, Turkey on October 7, Ismail Haniyeh spent the majority of his time in Doha as head of Hamas Political Bureau but took a number of trips to Tehran, Istanbul and Cairo, according to a CNN analysis.
CNN reviewed statements by Hamas and others, in addition to state media outlets and other social media posts, to analyze and track Haniyehs movements since October 7.
Haniyeh took at least four trips to Tehran in November, March, May and July. During all four visits, he met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In May, he attended the funerals of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who we're killed in a helicopter crash.
On his final trip to Tehran, which ended with his assassination, he was attending the inauguration of the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
He also took three known trips to Cairo in November, December and February, to lead Hamas ceasefire negotiating delegation. That negotiation process, which is still ongoing, has been shepherded by Qatar and Egypt.
The Hamas leader also spent two periods of time in Istanbul. He watched the October 7 attacks unfold in Hamas Istanbul offices. Video that circulated social media following the attacks show him celebrating after watching news reports of Hamas fighters returning to the Gaza Strip with Israeli equipment.
He returned home to Doha in October after the attacks, and took another 14 day-trips there in April.
While there in April, Haniyeh met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in addition to a number of Turkish politicians.
Haniyehs body will be buried in Doha on Friday, after funerals are held for him in Tehran on Thursday.
CNNs Mostafa Salem, Kareem Khadder, Sahar Akbarzai, Jessie Yeung, Mostafa Salem, Negar Mahmoodi and Niamh Kennedy contributed reporting.