By Paul Joseph
The Israeli military has announced the killing of Walid Haniyeh, a senior Hamas commander and nephew of former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, during a targeted operation in the Gaza Strip.
In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet security agency identified Haniyeh as the deputy commander of a Hamas Nukhba Force company.
Israeli authorities said he played a key operational role in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, including commanding infiltration units and overseeing the abduction of Israeli civilians into Gaza.
According to the IDF, Haniyeh was also involved in recruiting operatives and leading military training for Hamas’ elite forces before he was killed.
Israeli officials described the strike as part of ongoing operations targeting Hamas commanders involved in the October 7 attacks.
However, widely circulated social media claims alleging that Haniyeh personally executed 10 children in front of their families or raped and murdered a Christian woman have not been independently verified.
Those allegations do not appear in official Israeli statements or in reporting by major international news organisations covering the operation.
The Israeli military’s official announcement focused on Haniyeh’s alleged command role in the October 7 assault and hostage-taking, without attributing those specific crimes to him.
The operation comes as Israel continues military operations against Hamas in Gaza, with both sides remaining engaged in a prolonged conflict that has drawn widespread international attention and humanitarian concerns.
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