Ismail Haniyeh: Who was the Hamas leader killed in Tehran?
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s newly elected president Masoud Pezeshkian when he was killed in a targeted missile strike. Israel has targeted a number of prominent Hamas leaders since the Palestinian group attacked southern Israel last October, killing 1,130 people and taking 251 hostage, although Haniyeh would be the most senior yet if Israel’s involvement is confirmed. open image in gallery Ismail Haniyeh with Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Iran joined Russia, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority in condemning the killing of Haniyeh, described as the ”overall leader” of Hamas and the head of its political wing, a key figure in its efforts at international diplomacy. open image in gallery Haniyeh attends Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian's inauguration in Tehran In 2006, a year after the Israeli military withdrew from the ground in Gaza, Hamas won a parliamentary election in the occupied territories and Haniyeh was elected the "prime minister of the state of Palestine”.