Ismail Haniyeh says their deaths will not affect ongoing ceasefire and hostage talks.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza city killed three sons and four grandchildren of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh on 10 April, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced. Haniyeh (pictured below) confirmed the deaths of his family members in a statement. 

The attack was ordered in spite of the ongoing ceasefire and hostage talks in Cairo between the belligerent sides. Israeli officials said the attack was “unrelated” to the ceasefire or hostage talks.

The IDF and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) told the media that among those killed were Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in Hamas’ military wing, and Hamas military operatives Mohammad Haniyeh and Hazem Haniyeh. 

The three were in a vehicle driving in the Al Shati refugee camp at the time of bombing.

Haniyeh assured in the statement that the killing of his sons did not change the ceasefire agreement and would not make Hamas weaker.

The IDF told CNN it was aware of claims that some civilian relatives of Haniyeh were “harmed,” among them a minor, noted that the information “needed to be verified.”

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Hamas named the seven Haniyeh family members including four grandchildren - Mona, Amal, Khalid, and Razan - “martyrs for the Palestinian cause.”

Ismail Haniyeh, a confirmed billionaire, was not in the Gaza Strip at the time of the attack; he has lived in Qatar for years.

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