Ismail Haniyeh's sons bid farewell to father killed in Israeli attack

Grief-stricken sons with gloomy faces on Thursday bid farewell to Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in a missile attack on his residence in Tehran.

A large number of people attended the funeral prayers for the slain political chief of the Palestinian resistance group.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led the funeral prayers of Haniyeh at the University of Tehran in Iran.

The services began with an address from Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

"Martyr Ismail Haniyeh was the voice of the Palestinian people all over the world. He was not only a leader. He was the wise man," Ghalibaf said.

"Our reply will be there. At the right time and the right place. It is difficult for us to have our guest being targeted and assassinated on our soil," he added.

Martyr Ismail Haniyeh's sons bid their last farewell to their father. pic.twitter.com/OizWVRepcq

— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) August 1, 2024

Following the Iranian official's speech, the deputy head of Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya, addressed the Haniyeh's funeral service in Tehran.

"The nation today is carrying his coffin, and the nation today is raising the flag of jihad and resistance towards the goal of liberating Palestine and Jerusalem," al-Hayya said.

"With the faith of our country, and the Palestinian soul, we are sure that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh will bring anger towards this Zionist entity from the entire people of the world," he added.

The former Palestine's prime minister will be laid to rest at a cemetery in Qatar's Doha on Friday.

The 62-year-old Palestinian leader was killed in a missile attack on his residence in Tehran in the wee hours of Wednesday, along with one of his bodyguards, Iranian state media said.

The Revolutionary Guards stated that the cause of the attack is under investigation and will be announced soon.

"Early this morning, the residence of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was struck, resulting in his and one of his bodyguards' martyrdom. The cause is under investigation and will be announced soon," a statement issued by the IRGC read.

Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of newly-elected Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.