Israel murders family of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Hamas

The following statement was issued by Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh to Al-Jazeera about the massacre of his three sons and four grandchildren. Haniyeh received word of the deaths while visiting wounded Gazans in a hospital in Doha, Qatar. The statement was released by Resistance News Network on April 10, 2024.

I thank Allah for this honor that He bestowed upon us through the martyrdom of my three sons and grandchildren. With this pain and blood, we create hope, a future, and freedom for our people, our cause, and our nation.

Ismail Haniyeh

My martyred sons attained the honor of the time, the honor of the place, and the honor of the conclusion. My children stayed with our people in the Gaza Strip and did not leave the Strip.

All our people and all the families of Gaza residents have paid a heavy price with the blood of their children, and I am one of them. Nearly 60 members of my family ascended as martyrs, like all the Palestinian people, and there is no difference between them.

The occupation believes that by targeting the sons of leaders, it will break the resolve of our people. We say to the occupation that this blood will only make us more steadfast in our principles and adherence to our land.

The enemy will not succeed in their goals and the castles will not fall. What the enemy failed to extract through killing, destruction, and genocide, they will not take in negotiations.

The enemy is delusional if they think that by killing my sons we will change our positions. The blood of my sons is not more precious than the blood of our martyred people in Gaza, for they are all my sons.

The blood of my sons is a sacrifice on the path to liberating Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa. We will not hesitate and will not retreat, and we will continue on our way to liberate Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa.

The occupation’s threats to invade Rafah do not frighten our people or our resistance. We will not submit to the blackmail practiced by the occupation, for those who surrender will not be spared.

We will not compromise and we will not neglect, no matter how great our sacrifices are.

You saw the lions of the resistance striking down the enemy soldiers after six months of war on Gaza, and this is evidence of the failure of the Zionist enemy in its war.