Ismail Haniyeh's 'final moments' revealed: Video shows Hamas leader at inauguration of Iran's new president before he was 'wiped out in Israeli airstrike while he slept'

Hamas governmental main Ismail Haniyeh spent his last hours attending nan inauguration of caller Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian astatine a ceremonial successful Tehran earlier he was ruthlessly assassinated successful a suspected Israeli rocket strike.

The Hamas governmental leader, 62, was seen flashing nan bid motion and smiling arsenic he mixed pinch Iranian dignitaries yesterday astatine nan swearing-in ceremony.

He past shared a gathering pinch Pezeshkian - his first and only charismatic talks pinch nan caller president earlier being killed - arsenic good arsenic Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has since vowed to avenge Haniyeh. 

Video footage captured nan infinitesimal Haniyeh said pinch Pezeshkian arsenic nan brace shared an clasp earlier nan cameras successful a patient awesome of nan enduring ties betwixt nan Islamic Republic and nan Palestinian group. 

Following his meetings, Haniyeh was accompanied by guards to his accommodation - an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) residence successful nan superior - wherever he was reportedly staying alongside Palestinian Islamic Jihad Secretary General Ziyad Nakhalah, Hamas sources told Saudi outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Sitting successful an IRGC safehouse surrounded by guards successful nan Iranian capital, Haniyeh apt felt wholly unafraid pinch nary inkling of his fate. 

Israel's Defence Forces are believed to person conducted a daring overnight rocket onslaught connected nan building, sidesplitting nan Hamas leader arsenic he slept successful his furniture - though Nakhalah is said to person escaped nan blast. 

Haniyeh's assassination, confirmed by some Hamas and Iranian authorities, marks nan astir high-profile sidesplitting since October 7 and could prove to beryllium a tipping constituent successful nan ongoing conflict betwixt Israel and nan Palestinian group.

It has besides sparked concerns that Hamas' location friends - Iran, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi rebels - could activity to deed backmost against Israel, spreading yet much unit successful nan region.

'Brother leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, nan caput of nan movement, died successful a Zionist onslaught connected his residence successful Tehran aft he participated successful nan inauguration of nan caller (Iranian) president,' Hamas said successful a statement.

Hamas governmental bureau personnel Musa Abu Marzuk vowed: 'The assassination of leader Ismail Haniyeh is simply a cowardly enactment and will not spell unanswered.'

The National Security Council successful Iran said coming that 'the elimination of Haniyeh crossed nan reddish lines, Israel will carnivore a awesome price', arsenic Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared it was Iran's 'duty to avenge' Haniyeh because 'he was martyred connected our soil'.

The assassination of Hamas' main astatine an IRGC residence successful nan superior metropolis constitutes a humiliating rustle for nan Islamic Republic and will apt precipitate a harsh retaliation. 

Iran antecedently sent a barrage of missiles and drones to onslaught Israel earlier this twelvemonth aft Tel-Aviv struck nan Iranian embassy in Syria in April.

Meanwhile, world observers person sounded nan siren that Hamas could propulsion retired of months of negotiations for a cease-fire successful Gaza arsenic nan Palestinian decease toll nears 40,000.

Haniyeh's decease makes him nan latest and highest-ranking Hamas charismatic to beryllium killed by Israel since nan Hamas-led October 7 attacks.

At slightest 10 members of Haniyeh's family, including his sister, were killed successful an Israeli airstrike earlier this year. 

The onslaught deed nan Haniyeh family location successful Al-Shati exile camp, successful nan bluish Gaza Strip, past month. 

That onslaught came conscionable weeks aft Haniyeh mislaid 3 sons and 4 grandchildren successful an Israeli airstrike connected their car nearby.

Before their deaths, Haniyeh was believed to person had 13 sons and daughters. The Qatar-based Hamas leader said astatine nan clip said that astir 60 members of his family had been killed since nan warfare pinch Israel collapsed retired connected October 7.

While Hamas' Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar is believed to person been nan mastermind of nan attacks, Haniyeh, seen arsenic a much pragmatic unit successful Hamas, lauded them arsenic a humiliating rustle to Israel's aura of invincibility.

'The Al-Aqsa flood was an earthquake that struck nan bosom of nan Zionist entity and has made awesome changes astatine nan world level,' Haniyeh said successful a reside successful Iran during nan ceremonial of precocious Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi successful May.

'We will proceed nan guidance against this force until we liberate our land, each our land,' Haniyeh said

Israel had vowed to termination Haniyeh and different leaders of Hamas complete nan group's October 7 attacks, pinch Mossad main David Barnea successful January declaring Israel was 'committed to settling nan people pinch nan murderers who descended upon nan Gaza envelope'.

But Haniyeh had vowed to conflict Israel to nan end, pinch a Hamas connection quoting him arsenic saying that nan Palestinian origin has 'costs' and 'we are fresh for these costs: martyrdom for nan liking of Palestine, and for nan liking of God Almighty, and for nan liking of nan dignity of this nation.' 

Haniyeh was besides nether nan oculus of nan International Criminal Court, whose main charismatic sought apprehension warrants against him and 2 different Hamas leaders, Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, for warfare crimes and crimes against humanity. 

Similar requests were issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

Haniyeh lived successful self-imposed exile successful Qatar since 2019, but nan threats against him did not forestall him from travelling. 

He was said to support bully relations pinch nan heads of nan various Palestinian factions - including rivals to Hamas - to consolidate Hamas' powerfulness guidelines successful Gaza, and was very overmuch nan world look of nan group, travelling from Doha to Tehran and Ankara to support beardown ties pinch location allies.