Sons, Grandchildren of Hamas Leader Killed in Israel's Strike on Gaza Refugee Camp

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Haniyeh identified his slain children as Hazem, Amir and Mohammad.

He also stated a number of his grandchildren were also killed in the Israeli attack, joining dozens of his relatives who have been killed in the Gaza war so far.

The Hamas chief said his children were visiting relatives for Eid Al-Fitr at the Shati refugee camp in Northern Gaza when they were targeted.
He decried Israel’s brutality, but stressed that Palestinian leaders will not back down if their families and homes are targeted.

“Through the blood of the martyrs and the pain of the injured, we create hope, we create the future, we create independence and freedom for our people and our nation,” Haniyeh added.

Israel has been carrying out heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip since early October, killing more than 33,400 Palestinians, including 24,000 children and women, and wounding over 76,000 others, and levelling entire neighbourhoods. Thousands more are missing and feared buried under the rubble.

Tel Aviv has also imposed a complete siege on Gaza, cutting off food, electricity, fuel and water supplies. The move has plunged the blockaded territory into a humanitarian crisis.

The United Nations has reported that 85% of the population has been displaced from their homes, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

A UN-backed report warned last month that more than 70% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are facing “catastrophic hunger”, and that famine conditions now exist in the Northern part of the strip. Dozens of children in Gaza, including newborn babies, have starved to death and many more are at risk from soaring malnutrition.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has described the Israeli invasion of Gaza as a “plausible case of genocide”.

The Hamas leader also said the attack on his family is evidence of Israel’s “failure”, adding that it will not change the group’s position in ongoing indirect ceasefire talks.

He stressed that Hamas would not withdraw its demands, which include a permanent ceasefire and a return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, stating that Israel would not be able to achieve its aims through politics and negotiations.

“If they think that targeting my children at the peak of these talks before the movement’s [Hamas’s] response is submitted will cause Hamas to change its positions, they are delusional,” Haniyeh underlined, referring to Israel.

“The blood of my children is not more valuable than the blood of the children of the Palestinian people … All the martyrs of Palestine are my children,” he underscored.