Gaza Watch: Haniyeh’s Assassination: A New Crisis in Gaza

The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political chief, in an Israeli missile attack in Tehran has heightened fears of an expanded conflict. Haniyeh’s death, following his attendance at the inauguration of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, has led to threats of retaliation. This event, coupled with recent targeted killings and military actions, underscores the region’s volatility.

Israel, in no way, seems to be interested in peace. Just as Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatari Prime Minister said, “How can mediation (for Israel-Hamas ceasefire) succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?” Prime Minister Netanyahu clearly has no intention of negotiation, since the end of war would also mean the end of his political career.

The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Leader:

• Ismail Haniyeh was born in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City in 1962. His early involvement in Palestinian activism began during his university years at the Islamic University in Gaza, where he joined the Islamic Student Bloc, a precursor to Hamas.
  
• During the First Intifada in 1987, Haniyeh was a prominent participant in protests. The same year, Hamas was founded, and Haniyeh emerged as one of its key figures.
  
• His activism led to multiple imprisonments by Israeli authorities, including a significant three-year sentence. In 1992, he was deported to Lebanon along with other senior Hamas members. However, he returned to Gaza a year later following the signing of the Oslo Accord.
  
• Haniyeh became a close associate of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas. He was appointed as Yassin’s assistant after Yassin’s release from prison in 1997.

A Shocking Assassination:

• On July 30, 2024, Haniyeh was killed in a targeted Israeli missile strike while he was staying in Tehran. He had been in the Iranian capital to attend the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
  
• The attack, described by Hamas as a “treacherous Zionist raid“, resulted in the deaths of Haniyeh and a bodyguard. This event has been met with threats of revenge from Hamas and increased fears of further escalation in the conflict.
  
• Although Israel has not formally claimed responsibility for the assassination, the death of Haniyeh was celebrated by some Israeli officials, further aggravating the situation.

Wave of Violence:

• The day before Haniyeh’s assassination,Al Jazeera journalist Ismail al-Ghoul and camera operatorRami al-Refee were killed in an Israeli attack on Gaza. Their deaths highlight the ongoing risks faced by journalists in the conflict zone.
  
• On July 29, 2024, an Israeli-targeted assassination operation in Beirut resulted in the deaths of three people, includingHezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.The attack also killed two children and wounded 74 others, contributing to the rising regional tensions.
  
• In Gaza, Israeli ground operations in Khan Younis have resulted in the deaths of at least 255 Palestinians over nine days. Recent reports indicate that 42 bodies were retrieved from the area, underscoring the high human cost of the ongoing military actions.

A Legacy of Resistance:

• Haniyeh’s political career reached its peak when Hamas won the majority of votes in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, making him the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA). This victory led to a significant rift with Fatah and Western governments, resulting in severe financial sanctions on the PA.
  
• Following heightened tensions with Fatah, PA President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed Haniyeh and dissolved his government, leading to Hamas’s control over Gaza. This resulted in a prolonged siege imposed by Israel and Egypt, which continued for 17 years.
  
• In 2017, Haniyeh was appointed as the head of Hamas’s political bureau, succeeding Khaled Meshal. He played a crucial role in Hamas’s diplomacy, negotiating ceasefires and engaging with key regional allies such as Turkey and Qatar.
  
• Despite numerous targeted assassinations, including the recent killing of senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri in January 2024, Hamas remains a potent symbol of Palestinian resistance. Analysts argue that such actions have not diminished the group’s influence or resolve.

World’sReaction:

• Hamas: Senior official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the assassination of Haniyeh by Israel as a “grave escalation” aimed at breaking Hamas’s will. He stated, “We confirm that this escalation will fail to achieve its objectives. Hamas is a concept and an institution and not persons. Hamas will continue on this path regardless of the sacrifices and we are confident of victory.”
• Israel: Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu stated that Haniyeh’s death “makes the world a little better” and emphasized, “This is the right way to clean the world of this filth. No more imaginary peace/surrender agreements. No more mercy.”
• Iran: President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the assassination as a cowardly action, stating, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its territorial integrity, honour, pride and dignity, and make the terrorist invaders regret their cowardly action.” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called it a crime and promised harsh punishment for Israel, stating, “The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime martyred our dear guest in our house and made us sad, but it also prepared a harsh punishment for itself.”
• Hezbollah: The group expressed solidarity with Hamas, condemning the assassination and taking pride in their leaders’ martyrdom, stating, “We in Hezbollah share with our dear brothers in the Hamas movement all the feelings of pain over the loss of this great leader, the feelings of anger at the enemy’s crimes, the feelings of pride that the leaders in our movements are leading their people and their mujahideen to martyrdom.”
• Palestinian Authority: President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the assassination as a “cowardly act” and urged Palestinians to unite and remain steadfast, stating, “Be patient and steadfast in the face of the Israeli occupation.”
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Deputy Secretary-General Muhammad al-Hindi stated that the assassination targets both the Palestinian resistance and Iran, reflecting Israel’s confusion and inability to achieve its goals, saying, “Israel is on the verge of collapse, and its reactions reflect confusion and inability to achieve any of its goals. Israel is facing such resistance for the first time in its history.”
• United States:Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the US was not involved in Haniyeh’s death and reiterated calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, stating, “The US was not ‘aware of or involved in’ the death of Haniyeh.”
• Australia: Defence Minister Richard Marles condemned the October 7 activities linked to Haniyeh but advocated for a ceasefire to prevent further escalation, stating, “This individual was central to the activities which occurred on October 7, activities which we have consistently condemned. That said, we have consistently been advocating for a ceasefire in the Middle East to see an end to the catastrophe which is playing out. We definitely want to ensure that we do not see an escalation, because the consequences of that would be profound.”
• China: Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian condemned the assassination and called for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, stating, “We are highly concerned about the incident and firmly oppose and condemn the assassination. Gaza should achieve a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire as soon as possible.”
• Egypt: The foreign ministry criticized the lack of progress in ceasefire negotiations and suggested that Israel lacks the political will to calm the situation, stating, “The coincidence of this regional escalation with the lack of progress in the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza increases the complexity of the situation and indicates the absence of Israeli political will to calm it down.”
• Malaysia: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for an immediate investigation and urged all parties to exercise restraint and pursue peaceful resolutions, stating, “Malaysia urges for an immediate and thorough investigation into this assassination, and those responsible to be brought to justice. Malaysia also urges all parties to exercise restraint while facts surrounding the assassination are being established.”
• Qatar: Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani questioned how mediation could succeed when one party assassinates a negotiator, emphasizing the need for serious partners in peace efforts, stating, “Political assassinations and continued targeting of civilians in Gaza while talks continue leads us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side? Peace needs serious partners.”
• Russia: Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov condemned the assassination as unacceptable and warned of further escalation, stating, “This is an absolutely unacceptable political murder, and it will lead to further escalation of tensions.”
• Turkey: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Haniyeh’s killing shows Israel’s lack of intention for peace and warned of larger conflicts without international intervention, stating, “Haniyeh’s killing ‘once again demonstrates that Israel’s Netanyahu government has no intention of achieving peace.’ The region will face much larger conflicts if [the] international community does not take action to stop Israel.”
• Sri Lanka:President Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the assassination and declared he would never condone such actions, stating, “President Ranil Wickremesinghe … expressed his strong condemnation of the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and stated unequivocally that he will never condone such actions.”
• Yemen’s Houthis: Mohammed Ali al-Houthi condemned the assassination as a terrorist crime and a violation of laws and values, stating, “Targeting Ismail Haniyeh is a heinous terrorist crime and a flagrant violation of laws and ideal values.”