An Israeli airstrike has killed family members of Hamas leader Ismael Haniya, including three of his children, reports claim.
Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi reported on X: “Six Palestinians were killed a while ago in an Israeli airstrike on a car. All of whom are family members of Ismael Haniya, the head of Hamas.
“Three of them are his children and three others his grandchildren. They were killed near their home.”
Hamas-affiliated news agency, Shehab, has also reported the strike.
The IDF is yet to confirm that the strike was carried out.
The casualties were reportedly three of Haniya’s sons and his grandchildren. Haniya currently lives in Qatar.
This comes as Israel remains determined to continue its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pulled troops out of southern Gaza to give them a rest before a renewed offensive on Rafah.
But US President Joe Biden has warned Israel that a ceasefire is needed, adding that Netanyahu’s approach on Gaza was a “mistake”.
Biden said: “I think what he’s doing is a mistake. I don’t agree with his approach. What I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country.”
Israel has also sparked anger among world leaders after striking the Iranian consulate in Syria, killing two of Tehran’s military leaders.
Iran vowed revenge for the strike, and now, Israel has warned it could strike Iran directly. Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, said: “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Israeli troops this week: “In this war, we are being attacked from more than one front… from different directions. Any enemy that tries to attack us, will first of all be met with a strong defence.
“But we will know how to react very quickly with a decisive offensive action against the territory of whoever attacks our territory, no matter where it is, in the entire Middle East. We have this ability.”
He added that Israel’s military is “very, very effective, very powerful. One of the things we excel at over the years is that the enemy never knows what surprises we are preparing for.”
Reported by Daily Express
