Ismail Haniyeh: timeline of Hamas’ political leader
From a refugee camp in Gaza City to billionaire exile in Qatar, a look at the life and death of the man responsible for countless murders of Israelis and Palestinians
29th January 1962: Born in Al-Shāṭiʾrefugee camp near Gaza City to Palestinian Arab parents. Educated by UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East)
1981: Enrolls in the Islamic University of Gaza and studies Arabic literature. Leads an Islamist student association affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood
1988: Founding member of Hamas; arrested later that year by Israeli authorities for taking part in the First Intifada, or uprising against Israel
1989: Arrested again by Israel
1992: Deported to Lebanon
1993: Returns to Gaza following the signing of the Oslo Accords. Appointed Dean of Islamic University
1997: Appointed personal secretary to Hamas spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin
2003: Survives attempted assassination attempt. Yassin assassinated a few months later
2006: Appointed prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) government
2007–2014: Leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip
2017: Becomes the group’s overall political leader of Hamas, replacing Khaled Meshaal who had led Hamas in exile since 2004.
2018: Named ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist” by the US
December 2019: Leaves Gaza Strip to live in both Turkey and Qatar
October 2022: Meets Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
October 7th 2023: Mastermind behind Hamas terror atrocities across Israel
April 2024: Three of his sons, Hazem, Amir and Mohammad and four of his grandchildren are killed by Israeli airstrikes
Wednesday 31st July 2024: Assassinated, Tehran, Iran.
Haniyeh married his cousin Amal when she was 16 years old. They had 13 children.
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