Haniyeh Hamas

Hamas confirms death of Ismail Haniyeh in Israeli raid

Gaza Strip's top Hamas leader killed in air strike

The Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip has confirmed the death of its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in an Israeli air strike. Haniyeh was killed in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Tehran, where he was attending the inauguration of Iran's new president. The Hamas statement said that Haniyeh had been killed in a "cowardly assassination" by the Israeli occupation forces.

Haniyeh was a key figure in Hamas and had been the leader of the movement in the Gaza Strip since 2006. He was also a member of the Hamas politburo and was considered to be one of the most influential figures in Palestinian politics.

The Israeli government has not commented on the reports of Haniyeh's death, but it has been widely reported in the Israeli media. The Israeli military has been carrying out a series of air strikes in the Gaza Strip in recent days, in response to rocket fire from the territory.

The death of Haniyeh is a major blow to Hamas and is likely to further escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.