Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal hugs senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh before leaving Gaza Strip, Dec. 10, 2012. Photo: REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah
Global news outlets and anti-Israel activists reacted curiously to the news of the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday, mourning for the terrorist mastermind and labeling him as “moderate.”
In the early morning hours of Wednesday, an explosion killed Haniyeh, the Palestinian terrorist group’s political chief, while he was staying in Tehran, the Iranian capital city, for the inauguration of the country’s new president.
No country or group has claimed responsibility for the strike that killed Haniyeh, but Hamas and Iran blamed Israel, which has remained quiet about the attack. Some observers have argued the strike could result in regional escalation and make it harder to secure a deal to release the more than 100 hostages still held by Hamas and reach a ceasefire in Gaza. Others argued it established a certain level of deterrence and will incentivize Hamas to come to a deal soon.
Regardless, many journalists and anti-Israel activists were quick to lionize Haniyeh, who was placed on the US State Department’s Specially Designated Global Terrorists list in 2018, and castigate Israel.
The American writer and activist Shaun King described the assassination as “murder” at the hands of the United States and Israel. “I must admit that I am furious, because they [Israel] murder people with impunity. It’s absurd. But you can never destroy a people who do not believe that death is the end.”
King also said that he admired Haniyeh for negotiating with Israel. “He was working hard, day and night, on the ceasefire even though these genocidal monsters had murdered his own kids and grandchildren. I never understood how he had such strength to push forward. But he knew and said that he was no different than the average Palestinian who has lost so much.”
As the Hamas terror group’s political chief, Haniyeh has become known for his role in recent Gaza ceasefire negotiations
“In the face of this, Brother Ismail remained steadfast to Islam and to a free Palestine,” King said.
Palestine Action US, one of the biggest anti-Israel groups in the country instrumental in organizing pro-Hamas protests, reposted a person on its Instagram story expressing that they are “genuinely in tears” at the news of the death of Haniyeh.
More mainstream groups also had striking reactions to the news.
Yolande Knell, BBC’s Middle East Correspondent, described Haniyeh as “moderate and pragmatic.” Meanwhile, Sky News’s Alex Crawford told viewers on air that the terror leader is “very moderate.”
The Wall Street Journal‘s news story on the strike — written by Rory Jones, Omar Abdel-Baqui, and Summer Said — labeled Haniyeh as “Hamas’ leading advocate for a Gaza cease-fire,” seemingly suggesting that the long-time terrorist, who reportedly has close links with Hamas’ military wing and has been involved in attacks against Israeli citizens, is an agent for peace.
The top quote in the Journal‘s story is from a Hamas official, who said, “They [Israel] didn’t just kill Ismail Haniyeh … They are killing peace in the Middle East.”
Zahra Billoo, the executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), wrote on X/Twitter that “tonight, we mourn Ismail himself but know his martyrdom is not in vain. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
She also quoted a line from the Quran in reference to Haniyeh, which read, “Never say that those martyred in the cause of Allah are dead — in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it.”
Haniyeh was 62. He became a part of Hamas during the First Intifada against Israel and eventually rose to become the political leader of the group, which is an internationally designated terrorist organization with the stated goal of destroying the Jewish state through armed struggle.
The post ‘We Mourn Ismail’: Media Outlets, Anti-Israel Activists Praise Deceased Hamas Leader Haniyeh as ‘Moderate,’ Peacemaker first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
