The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet announced Saturday evening that they killed Waleed Haniyeh, a nephew of the late Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh. According to the military, Haniyeh commanded a cell that infiltrated Israel on October 7 and directed another cell that kidnapped Israeli civilians. Recently, he recruited new operatives and trained Nukhba fighters under his command. The announcement comes after unconfirmed reports of his death and a funeral held Friday, as The Zioneer previously reported.
The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed the elimination of Waleed Haniyeh, a Hamas Nukhba operative and nephew of the former Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh. The military said Haniyeh commanded a cell that infiltrated Israel on October 7, 2023, and directed another cell that kidnapped Israeli civilians. In the months since, he had been actively recruiting new Hamas operatives and overseeing training for the Nukhba company under his command.
The announcement follows unconfirmed reports of his death earlier this week and a funeral held Friday in Gaza, where gunfire and anti-Israel chants were reported. As The Zioneer reported Friday, Waleed Haniyeh was buried with celebratory gunfire, indicating his body had been recovered or released. The current statement from IDF and Shin Bet upgrades the earlier reports to an on-record official confirmation, though the precise time and location of the strike that killed him were not disclosed.
Haniyeh is the second named family member of Ismail Haniyeh killed during Israeli operations in Gaza. He was previously identified by The Zioneer as a member of the Nukhba elite unit, which led the October 7 assault. His elimination is part of a broader campaign targeting senior Hamas field commanders and Nukhba operatives involved in the 2023 attack. What remains unverified is whether Haniyeh's death was the result of a specific recent strike or a cumulative effect of earlier operations.
6 developments
- DevelopingHamas Nukhba operative Waleed Haniyeh buried amid gunfire and anti-Israel chants
- StrongIDF eliminates Hamas Nukhba terrorist who held hostage Omer Shem Tov
- StrongHamas confirms killing of arms dealer Mohammed Zayed in Al-Yamun by Duvdevan, Shin Bet
- DevelopingIDF drone strike kills Hamas battalion commander in Khan Younis, second operative
Source and signal
- Internal intake