Ismail Haniyeh was born on January 29, 1962, in the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza. From a young age, he was involved in activism and later attended the Islamic University of Gaza, where he became a student leader.
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Haniyeh joined Hamas during the First Intifada in 1987. He quickly rose within the organization, becoming a close aide to the movement’s spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, and playing a key role in its operations.
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In 2006, Haniyeh led Hamas to a surprising victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections and became the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. However, his government faced international rejection and internal conflict with Fatah.
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Tensions between Hamas and Fatah led to violent clashes. In 2007, President Mahmoud Abbas dissolved Haniyeh’s government. Despite this, Haniyeh continued to govern Gaza, while Fatah controlled the West Bank.
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In 2017, Haniyeh stepped down as the leader of Hamas in Gaza and was appointed the chairman of Hamas's Political Bureau. He relocated to Qatar, from where he continued to lead Hamas’s political operations until his death.
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On Tuesday, Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran's new President. The next day, he and his Iranian bodyguard were killed in a raid. Details of his assassination are still emerging, but it’s attributed to Israel.
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Haniyeh was a significant figure in Hamas, involved in its radical operations since the late 1980s. Despite controversies, he was seen as a pragmatic leader who engaged in diplomatic efforts for ceasefire deals.
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Ismail Haniyeh’s leadership marked a crucial period in Hamas’s history. From his rise in Gaza to his political maneuvers in exile, Haniyeh left a lasting impact on the Palestinian movement and its dynamics with Israel.