- Three sons of one of the most senior Hamas leaders, Ismail Haniyeh, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Wednesday, confirmed by both Hamas and the Israeli military. reuters.com
- The three sons — Hazem, Amir, and Mohammad — were reportedly killed by a drone strike on a vehicle in Gaza's northern Al-Shati refugee camp. Haniyeh said "some of [his] grandchildren were" killed too. Le Monde.fr
- Confirming the attack, the Israeli military described the three sons as "Hamas military operatives" conducting "terrorist activity" in central Gaza, without elaborating. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not confirm anyone else was killed in the strike. CNN (LR: 2 CP: 5)
- This follows an Israeli airstrike in December on the family home of Haniyeh — a negotiator in the latest ceasefire talks — which was reportedly destroyed by the strike. Iran International
- Qatar-based Haniyeh was elected chairman of Hamas' political bureau in 2017, having previously served as Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority before being dismissed by its president, Mahmoud Abbas, in 2007. Newsweek (LR: 1 CP: 5)
- The killing of Haniyeh's family members comes as both sides are considering new cease-fire proposals. The talks reportedly include the initial swap of 40 living hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. New York Times (LR: 2 CP: 5)
Pro-Israel narrative:
- Haniyeh's sons were legitimate targets in Israel's existential struggle against Hamas. The strike has no connection to the current ceasefire talks, since the terrorist group's military leadership, not the political wing, is pulling the strings. Hamas' military leaders don't want a deal but rather Israel's total surrender to all its demands. So long as Hamas maintains its practice of violence with no end goal, Israel will continue to combat the enemy and defend its land.
ISRAEL HAYOM
Pro-Palestine narrative:
- The ruthless killing of Haniyeh's sons and grandchildren is a blatant Israeli attempt to undermine negotiations. It is certainly no coincidence that the assassinations were executed as Hamas was about to respond to Israel's so-called ceasefire proposal. However, the regime is mistaken to believe that Hamas will abandon its demands. As Israel continues to violate international law against the Palestinian people, the struggle against the bloody, US-backed Gaza incursion will continue.
PRESSTV
Nerd narrative:
- There is a 67% chance, that Israel will have de facto power in the Gaza Strip on January 1, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
METACULUS (LR: 3 CP: 3)