Hamas leader remains steadfast, despite attack on his house

JERUSALEM: Israeli fighter jets have struck the house of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza, the Israeli military said on Thursday, according to a news report by Reuters.

Haniyeh’s house was “used as terrorist infrastructure and often served as a meeting point for Hamas’ senior leaders to direct terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF (Israel Defence Forces) soldiers,” the military said.

On the other hand, there have been media reports saying that Ismail Haniyeh has expressed confidence in victory. Expressing unwavering confidence in the resilience of the Palestinian people, and asserting their ability to endure the Israeli offensive, Haniyeh said, “Without an iota of doubt, if the enemy wants it to be a long battle, our capacity is even longer.”

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He dismissed Israeli plans as thwarted despite what he termed as “barbaric” attacks on civilians.

The Hamas chief acknowledged the support of regional allies without explicitly naming them. Notably, he praised the contributions of Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, which has been conducting frequent attacks against Israeli troops along the Israel-Lebanon border in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

As the conflict persists, the death toll has reached staggering numbers with at least 11,470 people reportedly killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7.