What Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Was Doing Hours Before His Assassination

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh visited a theme park exhibition showcasing landmarks of the ‘Axis of Resistance’ just hours before his assassination in Iran. He was accompanied by Ziad al-Nakhaleh, the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The ‘Axis of Resistance,’ a coalition led by Iran, includes Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and allied forces in Syria and Iraq. This alliance is dedicated to countering Western influence, particularly from the US and Israel, in the region. The coalition advocates for a Middle East free from external control and receives substantial military aid, training, and funding from Iran.

Iranian media released footage of Haniyeh’s visit, which occurred shortly before his death. In the video, he can be seen speaking with reporters.

On Wednesday morning, Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed in an airstrike on the building where they were staying. The day before, Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Hamas has attributed the assassination to Israel. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the attack, stating, “This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas.”

Israel had previously vowed to target Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders following the group’s October 7 attack on southern Israel. Since then, Israel’s campaign in Gaza has resulted in nearly 39,400 deaths and over 90,900 injuries.

Earlier this year, on April 10, Haniyeh’s three sons—Hazem, Amir, and Mohammad—were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Additionally, Haniyeh lost four grandchildren—three girls and a boy—in the same attack.