The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a statement said that it took out three sons of Ismail Haniyeh, who is chairman of Hamas' political bureau. All three of them were military operatives of Hamas, IDF added.
The three slain men were identified as Amir Haniyeh, Hazem Haniyeh and Mohammad Haniyeh. According to Israel, all of them were neutralised in an aerial operation.
"The IDF and ISA [the Israeli Security Agency] eliminated three Hamas military wing operatives in the central Gaza Strip Earlier today (Wednesday), directed by IDF and ISA intelligence, IAF aircraft struck three Hamas military operatives that conducted terrorist activity in the central Gaza Strip.
"The three operatives that were struck are Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in the Hamas military wing, Mohammad Haniyeh, a military operative in the Hamas terrorist organization, and Hazem Haniyeh, also a military operative in the Hamas terror organization.
"The IDF confirms that the three operatives are the sons of Ismail Haniyeh, chairman of Hamas's political bureau," BBC quoted the IDF statement as saying.
The British media added that the critical air raid took place at the Al-Shati camp on the beach to the west of Gaza City. Along with Mohammad, Amir and Hazem, many of Ismail Haniyeh's grandchildren were also killed in the attack. They were reportedly travelling to a family member's residence to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr.
Ismail Haniyeh reportedly added that the martyrdom of his sons will not affect Hamas' ceasefire talks with Israel.
"The blood of my sons is not dearer than the blood of our people... Our demands are clear and specific and we will not make concessions on them. The enemy will be delusional if it thinks that targeting my sons, at the climax of the negotiations and before the movement sends its response, will push Hamas to change its position," Haniyeh reportedly told Al Jazeera from Qatar.
