Israeli media reports revealed that Israel's senior commanders and political leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, were not consulted before a military strike resulted in the deaths of three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza. The airstrike, coordinated by the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet intelligence service, targeted Amir, Mohammad, and Hazem Haniyeh as fighters, not because of their relation to the Hamas leader.
Ismail Haniyeh, who has been living in exile in Qatar, has 13 children, and reports suggest that four of his grandchildren were also killed in the attack near the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV station confirmed the deaths and aired footage of Haniyeh receiving the news while visiting wounded Palestinians in a hospital in Doha.
The killing of Haniyeh's relatives has complicated negotiations aimed at halting the fighting in Gaza and securing the release of 133 Israeli hostages believed to be held in the region. Haniyeh emphasized that Hamas has specific demands for any ceasefire agreement, including an immediate end to the Israeli offensive, withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and permission for displaced Palestinians to return to their homes.
The airstrike that claimed the lives of Haniyeh's sons occurred following threats from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who vowed that Israel 'will be punished' during a prayer ceremony. Khamenei criticized the U.S. and the West for their involvement in the region amid escalating tensions. Iran had previously promised retaliation for an Israeli airstrike that destroyed Iran's consulate in Syria last month.
