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ConflictsMiddle East

Who was Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas?

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Nita Blake-Persen
July 31, 2024

Although he lived in exile, Ismail Haniyeh was one of Hamas' most visible leaders during the war with Israel in Gaza. His death in an airstrike in Tehran, Iran's capital, has sparked international outrage against Israel.

"Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh" is how Hamas, the Islamist militant group responsible for the October 7 attacks on Israel, described their political leader when they confirmed his death in an airstrike in Tehran, Iran's capital, on Wednesday.

Although he lived in exile in Qatar, Haniyeh was one of the most visible Hamas leaders during the war in Gaza.

Discover how he became the political face of the militant group, one Israel, the US, the EU and others deem a terrorist organization.

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