Israeli airstrike claims lives of three sons of Hamas political leader in Gaza amid fragile ceasefire negotiations

Three sons of Ismail Haniyeh, a political leader in Hamas, were killed in Gaza by an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday. This assassination could make it harder to reach a ceasefire and hostage agreement that is currently being negotiated.

The Israeli military has acknowledged that they were responsible for the attack. They identified the men as "three Hamas military operatives who were involved in terrorist activities in the central Gaza Strip."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) have reported that the individuals killed were Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in Hamas' military wing, along with Hamas military operatives Mohammad Haniyeh and Hazem Haniyeh.

CNN has stated that they are unable to independently verify the claims made by the IDF.

Three people, including Hamas political leader Haniyeh's grandchildren, were killed in a bombing in the Al Shati refugee camp, northwest of Gaza City. According to a journalist from CNN in Gaza, the victims were traveling in a vehicle when the incident occurred.

The Israeli military did not report any other casualties in the attack.

According to the Hamas-run government media office (GMO), the Haniyeh family was visiting relatives for Eid al-Fitr when their vehicle was hit.

Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, is a significant holiday on the Islamic calendar.

In a statement, Haniyeh mentioned that the act of killing leaders' children would only strengthen Hamas' commitment to its principles and land.

Haniyeh added that targeting his kids during negotiation talks will not make Hamas back down on its demands.

Palestinian group Hamas' top political leader Ismail Haniyeh speaks during a press conference in Tehran, Iran, on March 26, 2024.

Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters

Haniyeh, currently residing in Qatar, expressed that Hamas was not concerned about the potential Israeli invasion of Rafah, located in the southernmost area of the besieged enclave. It is estimated that around 1.5 million individuals have sought refuge in the heavily bombed city due to the ongoing conflict.

Haniyeh emphasized that Hamas would not give up or make concessions, regardless of the extent of sacrifices that may be required.

Israeli officials clarified that the airstrike which resulted in the death of Haniyeh's sons was separate from the current negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release. One official emphasized that the operation was not linked to the ongoing talks. They stated that Israel remained committed to eliminating all terrorists and terrorist operatives.

Two other Israeli officials confirmed that neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were informed about the strike beforehand.

International pressure to achieve a ceasefire agreement is increasing due to the escalating devastation and suffering in Gaza caused by Israel's aid blockade and extensive destruction of the area, leading to half of the population facing severe hunger. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that over 33,000 individuals have lost their lives in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict.

CIA Director Bill Burns has put forward a new idea to help close the differences in the current talks aiming to reach an agreement for a ceasefire and the freedom of the Israeli hostages, as per a source who is knowledgeable about the talks.

The recent proposal from the US was presented in Cairo during the weekend. It suggests urging Israel to release more Palestinian prisoners in return for around 40 Israeli hostages who are anticipated to be released in the initial stage of a three-part ceasefire agreement.

However, Hamas has stated that they are currently facing challenges in locating and identifying 40 Israeli hostages required for the initial stage of a ceasefire agreement. This information comes from an Israeli official and a source familiar with the ongoing discussions. There are concerns that there may be more hostages who have lost their lives than what has been made public.

The majority of the nearly 100 hostages who are still alive are believed to be male IDF soldiers or men within the military reserve age range. On Wednesday, the Israeli prime minister's office disclosed that out of the 129 hostages taken during the attack on October 7, 33 have unfortunately passed away.

Khader Al Za’anoun is also a journalist with Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency. CNN’s Alex Marquardt contributed reporting.

Editor's P/S:

The assassination of three