Middle East Conflict - Death in Tehran: Who was Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh?
With the killing of Ismail Haniyah, Hamas loses its most important and visible leader outside the Gaza Strip. Haniyah, a member of the Islamic terror organization for decades, was a key figure in the ongoing war with Israel in Gaza, serving as a crucial point of contact for international mediators seeking a ceasefire and the exchange of prisoners. The future of these negotiations is now completely uncertain.
Hamas in the late 80s
Born in 1963 in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza, Haniyah grew up in poverty. His parents were expelled from Askalan, which later became the Israeli town of Ashkelon. He joined Hamas as a young man during the first Palestinian uprising, Intifada, against Israeli occupation in the late 1980s. In the following years, he served several terms in Israeli prisons, returning to Gaza in 1993.
He quickly made a name for himself as a close confidant of spiritual Hamas leader Ahmed Yassin, who was assassinated by Israel in 2004. After Hamas' victory over the rival Palestinian Fatah movement in the 2006 elections, he briefly served as Palestinian Authority Prime Minister. In 2017, he led a Hamas delegation to meet with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Ismail Haniyah: Luxurious life in Qatar
Haniyah had become a prominent political figure and was soon added to the U.S. list of global terrorists. He lived in Qatar, reportedly in luxurious style with parts of his family. In April, three of his sons and four of his grandchildren were killed in a Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Israel held him responsible for the brutal Hamas terror attack on October 7 that led to the Gaza war, and had vowed to eliminate the entire Hamas leadership.
Within Hamas' leadership, Haniyah was seen as a more pragmatic voice – and the face of Hamas diplomacy in the Middle East. Compared to Gaza Strip Hamas leader Yahya al-Sinwar and his deputy Mohammed Deif, Haniyah played a crucial role in negotiating with Israel through intermediaries Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S. It remains to be seen whether and how these negotiations will continue. A successor for Haniyah will need to be found. However, this would not be the first time for Hamas.
The Middle East conflict significantly impacted Haniyah's role as a key figure in Hamas, serving as a crucial point of contact for international mediators in the ongoing war with Israel in Gaza. His pragmatic voice and diplomatic skills were instrumental in negotiating with Israel through intermediaries, contributing to potential ceasefires and prisoner exchanges.
Following his death, the Middle East conflict and the ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel are faced with complete uncertainty, as Hamas loses a crucial negotiator in Haniyah, who was well-known for his roles in Hamas' leadership and diplomatic efforts.
