Sister of Ismail Haniyeh, senior Hamas member, killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza

One of the sisters of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of Hamas supported by the Islamic Republic, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Shati camp of Gaza City on Tuesday, July 5. The Times of Israel reported that Palestinian sources, citing Hebrew media, claimed that 13 others were also killed in this attack. According to the report, earlier this year, Israeli police arrested one of Haniyeh's sisters, an Israeli citizen residing in 'Tel Shawa.' Three of Haniyeh's sisters live in the West Bank and have married Arab Israelis. Two are now widows and were previously arrested by Israeli authorities during illegal trips to Gaza in 2013 through Egypt. Both were sentenced to eight months of suspended prison in 2015. Later that year, Israel rejected Haniyeh's request to allow his sisters to attend his son's wedding in Gaza. It is still unclear which of Ismail Haniyeh's sisters was killed in this airstrike. Previously, Israeli media reported on Thursday, April 12, that Israeli forces killed three of Ismail Haniyeh's sons in an airstrike in Gaza without consulting senior military commanders or political leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli army considered the three to be members of the 'terrorist' group Hamas. According to Reuters, Hamas stated that Hazem, Amir, and Mohammad, three sons of Ismail Haniyeh, were killed when a bomb struck the vehicle carrying them in Gaza. Hamas media reported that two of Haniyeh's grandchildren were also killed in this attack, and one other was injured. At that time, Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar, told Al Jazeera: 'I thank God for granting us the honor of their martyrdom.' Israel's retaliatory attacks on Palestinian areas aimed at 'destroying Hamas' began after Hamas killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, during the terrorist attacks on October 7 in southern Israel and took over 250 hostages. According to health officials in the Hamas government, more than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israeli attacks. In response, Israel has accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields. Netanyahu: 'We agree to a 'pause' in the war for the release of hostages, but Hamas must be destroyed.' Haniyeh: 'Hamas's response to the ceasefire proposal aligns with the principles considered by the U.S.' Mahmoud Abbas says a Security Council meeting should be held regarding the 'bloody massacre' in Nuseirat.