Allah the Almighty has greatly elevated the status of martyrdom for His cause, granting martyrs immense rewards and blessings. He says, “And the martyrs, with their Lord. For them is their reward and their light.” (Al-Hadid: 19) They are alive with their Lord, being provided for, and the martyr wishes to return to the world to be killed again in the path of Allah because of the honor they see. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Nobody who dies and finds good from Allah (in the Hereafter) would wish to come back to this world even if he were given the whole world and whatever is in it, except the martyr who, on seeing the superiority of martyrdom, would like to come back to the world and get killed again (in Allah's Cause).” (narrated by At-Tirmidhi). Even our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who holds the highest rank, wished to be a martyr and to be killed in the path of Allah multiple times. He said, “By Him in Whose Hand my life is, I would love to fight in Allah's Cause and then get martyred and then resurrected (come to life) and then get martyred and then resurrected (come to life).” (agreed upon)

Martyrs are not subjected to trials in their graves. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, why will the believers be tested in their graves except the martyr?” He replied, “The flashing of the swords above his head is trial enough.” (Sahih Al-Targhib wat-Tarhib). There are numerous ayahs and hadiths in this regard.

Due to the high rank of martyrs with Allah, we find that the Mujahideen, both leaders and individuals, race to achieve it. The best among people are those whom Allah chooses to serve His religion and keeps alive for a time to fulfill this purpose, ending their journey with martyrdom in His cause. Allah says, “If a wound should touch you - there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs - and Allah does not like the wrongdoers.” (Al-Imran: 140) Whenever a martyr ascends, the living envy them for this honor: “Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration.” (Al-Ahzab: 23)

The martyrdom of Muslim leaders throughout history has never been a cause for retreat or withdrawal. Rather, it has been a motivator to follow their path and die for the same cause they died for. An excellent example of this is Anas ibn Al-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him), who set a brilliant precedent in this regard. Ibn Ishaq narrates in his book, “Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah”: Anas ibn Al-Nadr, the uncle of Anas ibn Malik, reached Umar ibn Al-Khattab and Talha ibn Ubayd Allah along with a group of the Muhajirun and Ansar, and they had thrown down their weapons. He asked them, “What are you doing sitting like this?” They replied, “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has been killed.” He said, “What will you do with life after him? Get up and die upon what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) died upon.” He then went forth to fight until he was killed.

Ibn Ishaq also narrates from Anas ibn Malik that his uncle missed the Battle of Badr and said, “I missed the first battle in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) fought. If Allah allows me to witness another battle with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), He will see what I will do.” He then participated in the Battle of Uhud, and when the Muslims were defeated, he said, “O Allah, I apologize to You for what these people (the Muslims) have done, and I disavow what the polytheists have brought.” He then advanced with his sword and met Sa’d ibn Mu’adh, saying, “O Sa’d, where are you going?” He said, “I can smell the fragrance of Jannah from beyond Uhud.” He continued until he was killed. He was not recognized until his sister identified him by a mark, as he had suffered over eighty wounds from swords, spears, and arrows.

At the Battle of Mu'tah, that terrifying and bloody battle where three thousand Muslims faced two hundred thousand Roman soldiers and Arab Christians, the commanders of the Muslim army whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had appointed—Zayd ibn Harithah, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, and Abdullah ibn Rawahah—were martyred in succession. This created a legendary and epic scene. The Muslims then agreed on the leadership of Khalid ibn Al-Walid, who took up the banner, fought valiantly, and saved the army from this great danger. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called them “fearless fighters” and gave Khalid the title “The Sword of Allah.”

While the martyrdom of resistance leaders saddens the believers, it also ignites passion within them and renews their faith and certainty. The call of Allah is not tied to specific individuals whose deaths would end the cause; rather, Allah appoints new leaders who carry the banner and continue the journey. The caravan of martyrs continues, and so does the sacrifice.

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) provides a living example that confirms this divine tradition. Many leaders, including the founding leader Yassin and his deputy Al-Rantisi, and numerous senior commanders from both the West Bank and Gaza, as well as outside Palestine, have been martyred. But new leaders always emerge by Allah's decree, advancing the tactics of jihad, mobilizing soldiers, and preparing for future battles of dignity and liberation against the hated Zionist occupation, backed by the West and some Arab nations.

The martyrdom of leaders fulfills the noble goal they lived and sacrificed for over many years. Blessed are they for the honor of being chosen for this purpose.

The martyrdom of leaders is a special honor for the martyr and a general one for resistance and jihad movements. Every movement takes pride in its martyrs in general and its martyred leaders in particular, affirming its credibility and legitimacy.

The martyrdom of leaders is a motivator for renewing commitment and allegiance to Allah and raises the level of work, sacrifice, and jihad among the mujahideen and workers.

The martyrdom of leaders is a direct cause for awakening the Ummah from its slumber and mobilizing its financial and human resources to join the battle to liberate our sacred places and lands.

The martyrdom of leaders inspires the free people of the world, including non-Muslims, to support our cause and exposes the crimes of our enemy, gradually severing the ties between the people and their support for our enemy.

The martyrdom of leaders is a renewal of leadership, encouraging building upon the work of previous leaders, learning from past mistakes, and innovating new methods to achieve the desired goals.

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How close is the dawn of the last day of the seventh month of 2024 AD, corresponding to the 25th of Muharram, 1446 AH, bearing a strong resemblance to the dawn of the first day of Safar, 1425 AH, which corresponded to 22 March 2004! On this dawn, Sheikh Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), was martyred, joining his mentor, the martyr and founder of Hamas, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the first leader of Hamas. Both of them departed at dawn due to Zionist treacherous missiles—Yassin in Gaza and Haniyeh in Tehran. Twenty years separated their martyrdoms, during which the movement grew into a widespread current not only among the Palestinian people but also across the entire Ummah. It has proven to be resilient, no matter how many outstanding leaders were martyred, like Yassin and Rantisi, the leader and his deputy at that time, and Haniyeh and Al-Arouri, the leader and his deputy now, with a blessed convoy of martyrs in between, too many to list here.

Indeed, their martyrdom is a life for them, as stated in the Quran: “And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision. Rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them - that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” (Al-Imran: 169-170), and “And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, 'They are dead.' Rather, they are alive, but you perceive it not.” (Al-Baqarah: 154) Just as they lived for Allah’s sake, they died in His path, which is the great success every believer aspires to.

Furthermore, their death is life for the Islamic Ummah, reviving its spirit anew. Their pure blood heals our ailing hearts, awakens them from prolonged coma, and recovers our lost dreams. It invigorates bodies that have become lethargic. Their blood is like rain that nourishes the veins of the Ummah with life, blooming it again and restoring its ancient glory. It is as if they are the renewers of this century, as narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Allah will raise for this community at the end of every hundred years the one who will renovate its religion for it.” (narrated by Abu Dawood and authenticated by Al-Hakim; Al-Iraqi said its chain of narration is authentic). I believe their blood will be the fuel for the inevitable uprising of the Ummah.

Moreover, their death is a revival of human values and ethics and an awakening of the human conscience worldwide. People around the world have started to move against the Zionist entity, even demanding the liberation of all of Palestine, from the sea to the river. Haniyeh's last wish was for August 3rd to be an international day for supporting Gaza and the prisoners. So, free people everywhere, carry out this will!

O’ Ismail, martyrdom suits you as it suited your Sheikh, and we ask Allah the Almighty that it suits us as well.

O Allah, grant us a death that brings life to us, to our Ummah, and to humanity.

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(Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration.) (Al-Ahzab: 23).

The fearless knight dismounted from his horse after having fulfilled his trust, conveyed the message, and strived in the way of Allah as it should be strived. He said it and died upon it: "We will not recognize Israel." He was sincere to Allah, and Allah was sincere to him. It is the good end that Allah grants to His faithful, sincere, and loyal servants. It was the great reward for a man who had long dedicated his life, efforts, and time to serving his religion and the justice of his cause.

Ismail Haniyeh, the veteran political leader and head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), was born in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza in 1962. He descends from a Palestinian refugee family forcibly displaced from the village of Jura, near Ashkelon, during the Nakba events of 1948. He is the father of 13 children, three of whom were assassinated by the Israeli army in April 2024 in the Shati camp during the ongoing genocide.

Since 2019, he has been residing in Qatar, where he conducts his political activities. During the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, he acted as a negotiator in ceasefire talks and as a liaison with mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Iran, his movement’s main ally.

"This blood will only strengthen our resolve," said Haniyeh last April when informed that the Israeli army had killed three of his children and four of his grandchildren in an airstrike on a car they were traveling in within the Gaza Strip. He was speaking about facing the Zionist genocide on Gaza, unaware that he would join his children and grandchildren three months later, not in Gaza like them, nor in Qatar where he resided, but in Iran, where he was attending the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran.

Today, the Zionist entity assassinated a man of Palestine’s men, as they had assassinated before him Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Abdul Aziz al-Rantisi, Saeed Siyam, Ismail Abu Shanab, Ibrahim al-Muqadma, Salah Shehadeh, Saleh al-Arouri, and others from the movement's leaders. But did the movement stop? Did its pulse cease? Did it fail to produce other leaders?

It is a movement born from the womb of suffering, whose men grew up behind bars, under the yoke of prison and jailers, tasting the bitterness of deprivation and loss, living lives of dispersion and displacement, witnessing the crimes of the Zionists against their people and nation. They took it upon themselves to steer the ship to safety, no matter the cost in blood and limbs, believing in their creed, convinced of their idea, insisting that "what was taken by force can only be regained by force." They trod the path of jihad and the roads of resistance with all their difficulties, knowing that its end would be one of the two good outcomes. Nevertheless, they did not retreat or falter, believing that when a leader falls, a thousand others rise to carry the banner and steer the ship, assured by the words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "There will never cease to be a group from my Ummah manifest upon the truth, they will not be harmed by those who forsake them until Allah's Decree comes." They asked: "O Messenger of Allah, where are they?" He said: "In Jerusalem and its surroundings."

Yes, the Zionist entity, with international collusion and Arab subservience, killed the leader Haniyeh, a man history will not forget. They killed his spirit, but they will not realize that his ideas will never die, and his legacy will continue as a beacon celebrated by generations to come. History will remember a man who wrote with his blood and limbs the story of the Palestinian people, drew for them the map of liberation, lit for them the torch of their launch, and ignited the spark of resistance that will not end with his life.

Today, the grieving Palestinian people and their bereaved children, who face the enemy's oppression and its brutal war with their bare bodies amid the complete abandonment by their fellow Arabs, bid farewell to a man of truth who sacrificed his life for the bright Palestinian right, making his pure body a passage towards liberation. He knew that his soul would not be the last on the altar of freedom, but he remained steadfast in truth, unwavering, a model who believed in the strength of Palestinian justice and the righteousness of the cause, which needs limbs and blood as a cheap price for its worth.

O Abu al-Abed, sleep peacefully. For you, the mourners weep, and we testify that you completed the journey and fulfilled the promise and covenant. But it is the will of Allah and His law in His creation. The time of rest has come after the toil, and we ask Allah for steadfastness and strength after you. Your beloved people who loved you pledge to remain on the covenant and continue your path.

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Assassinations are considered an integral part of the security strategy of the Zionist entity's government, which has increased in frequency since the establishment of the Zionist entity in 1948. History has witnessed numerous massacres and assassinations targeting Palestinian leaders and opponents of the Zionist project both inside and outside of Palestine.

Prominent Assassinations in History

• Lord Moyne (1944): Lord Moyne, the British politician and businessman, was assassinated for not supporting the immigration of British Jews to Palestine.
• Count Bernadotte (1948): He was assassinated by Jewish gangs at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem due to his stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
• Coordination with the Gestapo: Groups affiliated with the Jewish Agency collaborated with the German Gestapo to assassinate a number of Jews to instill fear among them and push them to emigrate to Palestine. Similar operations occurred in Iraq and Egypt to drive Jews to emigrate, including the “Lavon Affair” scandal in Egypt in 1954.

Targeting Scientists

Nabawiyya Musa (1952): Assassinated in America.

Yahya El-Mashad (1980): Assassinated in Paris.

Said El-Sayed Bedair (1989): Assassinated in Alexandria.

Palestinian Assassinations

Israel has conducted assassinations against prominent Palestinian figures in various world capitals, including Cyprus, Paris, Rome, London, Athens, Vienna, Brussels, and Sofia. Assassinations were also carried out in Arab capitals like Beirut in 1973 and Tunis in 1988, as well as in Gaza and the West Bank.

Here are the most notable of these assassinations:

• July 8, 1972: Assassination of Ghassan Kanafani (member of the political bureau of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and its official spokesperson) by a bomb placed in his car in the Hazmiyeh area of Lebanon, resulting in the martyrdom of Kanafani and his niece Lamis.
• October 17, 1972: Assassination of Wael Zwaiter (a Palestinian politician, writer, and diplomat) while serving as a representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Rome, Italy. Mossad director Zvi Zamir participated in his assassination by firing 12 bullets at him from silenced pistols.
• December 8, 1972: Assassination of Dr. Mahmoud Hamshari (PLO representative in France and one of the early fighters in the Fatah movement) by a bomb placed next to his home telephone.
• April 9, 1973: Assassination of Ziad Wshahi in Cyprus by a car bomb.
• April 14, 1973: Assassination of three senior Fatah leaders in Beirut: Kamal Nasser, Kamal Adwan, and Mohammed Yousef Najjar, in an operation known as “Spring of Youth.”
• April 1973: Assassination of Moussa Abu Ziad in Athens by a bomb placed in his hotel room.
• June 10, 1973: Assassination of Abdul Hadi Naffa and Abdul Hamid Shibi in Rome by a car bomb.
• November 25, 1973: Assassination of Hussein Ali Abu Khair (PLO representative in Cyprus) in Nicosia by a bomb placed under his hotel bed by Mossad agents.
• February 2, 1977: Assassination of Mahmoud Walad Saleh (a PLO cadre) in Paris.
• August 2, 1978: Assassination of Dr. Ezzedine Kalak (PLO representative in France) in Paris.
• December 15, 1978: Assassination of Ibrahim Abdel Aziz (a Palestinian resistance activist in the occupied territories) in Cyprus.
• January 22, 1979: Assassination of Ali Hassan Salameh (a senior security official in the PLO, nicknamed “the Red Prince”) in Beirut.
• July 25, 1979: Assassination of Zuhair Mohsen (leader of the As-Sa'iqa Organization) in the French resort city of Cannes.
• February 18, 1980: Assassination of Youssef Mubarak (a Palestinian intellectual and fighter) in Paris.
• June 16, 1980: Assassination of Mohammed Taha (a security officer in Fatah) in Rome.
• June 1, 1981: Assassination of Naeem Khader (PLO representative in Belgium) in Brussels.
• November 10, 1981: Assassination of Tarek Salim (a Fatah cadre) by a bomb in Beirut.
• April 10, 1982: Assassination of Elias Atiya (a Fatah cadre), with his wife also being martyred.
• June 16, 1982: Assassination of Nazih Darwish outside the PLO office in Rome.
• June 17, 1982: Assassination of Kamal Hassan Abu Dalo, deputy director of the PLO office in Rome, and Aziz Matar, a Palestinian student at the University of Rome, who was shot in front of his home in Rome on the same day.
• July 23, 1982: Assassination of Fadl Saeed Al-Dani, deputy director of the PLO office in Paris.
• August 30, 1983: Assassination of Mamoun Shukri Merish in Athens, an assistant to Khalil Al-Wazir (Abu Jihad) responsible for external operations.
• December 22, 1983: Assassination of Jamil Abdul Qader Abu Rub (director of a commercial shipping company in Greece) in Athens.
• December 14, 1984: Assassination of Ismail Issa Darwish (a Fatah cadre working in the western sector responsible for the occupied territories) in Rome.
• June 9, 1986: Assassination of Khaled Nazzal (a member of the central committee of the Democratic Front) at the gate of a hotel in Rome by gunmen on a motorcycle.
• October 21, 1986: Assassination of Munther Judeh Abu Ghazaleh (commander of the Palestinian Navy and member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council and the PLO military council) in Athens.
• February 14, 1988: Assassination of Hamdi Sultan, Marwan Kayali, and Mohammed Hassan (three founders of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement) in Cyprus.
• April 16, 1988: Assassination of Khalil Al-Wazir, nicknamed “Abu Jihad” (the second-in-command of Fatah and one of its founders along with Yasser Arafat and others) by an Israeli military operation at his residence in Tunis, the highest-ranking figure assassinated by Israel at that time.
• January 14, 1991: Assassination of Salah Khalaf, nicknamed “Abu Iyad” (head of the PLO security apparatuses and one of the prominent Fatah leaders) in Tunis, along with two of his aides, Fakhri Al-Omari (Abu Mohammed) and Hael Abdul Hamid (Abu Al-Hol).
• June 8, 1992: Assassination of Atef Bseiso (one of Abu Iyad's successors in leading the Palestinian security apparatus) in Paris.
• November 24, 1993: Killing of Imad Aqel (one of the founders of the military wing of Hamas) during a battle with Israeli soldiers who attacked him in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza. During three years of military operations, he killed 11 Zionist officers and soldiers and injured over 30 others.
• June 23, 1994: Assassination of Nasser Salouha (a Hamas leader) in Gaza.
• November 2, 1994: Assassination of Hani Abed (a leader of the Islamic Jihad Movement) by a bomb planted in his car in Khan Yunis, central Gaza Strip.
• December 22, 1994: Assassination of Ibrahim Yaghi (a military official in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades) outside his home in Jericho.
• April 2, 1995: Assassination of Kamal Kheil (one of the top leaders of the Al-Qassam Brigades) by bombing the apartment he was in, in Gaza.
• October 26, 1995: Assassination of Fathi Shikaki (founder and secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad Movement) in Malta by an Israeli commando group.
• January 5, 1996: Assassination of Yahya Ayyash (commander of the martyrdom operations in the Al-Qassam Brigades) in Beit Lahia, Gaza, by a bomb planted in the mobile phone he was using.
• September 25, 1997: Attempted assassination of Khaled Meshaal (head of Hamas' political bureau) in Amman, Jordan, by Mossad agents who tried to inject him with poison. The failed attempt led to strained relations between Jordan and Israel, resulting in the release of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who was imprisoned in Israel at the time.
• March 29, 1998: Assassination of Mohieddin Sharif (a leader of the Al-Qassam Brigades) by a car bomb.
• September 10, 1998: Assassination of Adel Awadallah (commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank) and his brother Emad Awadallah.
• November 23, 2000: Assassination of Ibrahim Bani Odeh (a leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank) by a car bomb.
• December 31, 2000: Assassination of Thabet Thabet (Secretary of Fatah Movement in Tulkarm).
• July 25, 2001: Assassination of Salah Darwaza (a prominent Hamas leader in the West Bank).
• July 31, 2001: Assassination of Jamal Mansour (member of the political leadership of Hamas in the West Bank and one of the deportees from Marj al-Zohour in 1992) by Israeli airstrikes while he was at a press center. Also killed was Jamal Suleiman, a member of the political leadership of Hamas in the West Bank and one of the founders of the Palestine Scholars Association and its secretary.
• August 27, 2001: Assassination of Abu Ali Mustafa (Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) in his office in Ramallah by two missiles fired by an Israeli Apache helicopter.
• October 22, 2001: Assassination of Ayman Halawa (a leader in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in Nablus) by Israeli aircraft.
• November 23, 2001: Assassination of Mahmoud Abu Hanoud (a prominent leader in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank) by Israeli aircraft. He had previously survived an attempted assassination on August 23, 2000, in the village of Asira near Nablus, where he killed three Israeli soldiers.
• January 14, 2002: Assassination of Raed Karmi (commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Tulkarm) in Ramallah.
• January 22, 2002: Assassination of Yusuf al-Sourkji (commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank) along with several of his associates in a raid by a special Israeli unit on an apartment in Nablus.
• April 2, 2002: Assassination of Mohamed Atwa Abdel Aal (a commander in the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement) by missiles fired by Israeli helicopters at his car in the Brazil neighborhood of Rafah.
• April 5, 2002: Assassination of Iyad Hardan (a commander in the Al-Quds Brigades) by a public telephone explosion in Jenin.
• April 23, 2002: Assassination of Marwan Zalloum (commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Hebron) by missiles fired by Israeli aircraft.
• April 26, 2002: Killing of Raed Nazzal (commander of the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades in Qalqilya) during a battle with Israeli soldiers in Qalqilya.
• June 30, 2002: Killing of Mohannad al-Taher (a leader in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank) along with his assistant Emad Darwaza during a battle with Israeli forces in Nablus.
• July 4, 2002: Assassination of Jihad al-Amarain (founder of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Gaza) by a bomb planted under the driver's seat of his car in the center of Gaza City.
• July 23, 2002: Assassination of Salah Shehadeh (the overall commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza) by an Israeli F-16 aircraft that dropped a ton bomb on an apartment building in Gaza where he was sleeping, resulting in the deaths of 15 Palestinians, including his wife, daughter, and aide Zahir Nassar, and injuring 174 others.
• August 14, 2002: Killing of Nasr Jarrar (a leader in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank) during a battle with Israeli soldiers in Tubas.
• February 16, 2003: Assassination of Nidal Farhat (the chief engineer behind the “Qassam rockets” in Hamas) by a bomb planted by an Israeli agent in Gaza.
• March 8, 2003: Assassination of Ibrahim al-Maqadmeh (a prominent leader and thinker in Hamas) by two Israeli Apache helicopters firing five missiles at his car on Palestine Street in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood (Gaza City), killing him and three of his escorts.
• April 10, 2003: Assassination of Mahmoud al-Zatma (a commander in the Al-Quds Brigades) by Israeli missiles targeting his car on Palestine Street in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood (Gaza City).
• June 21, 2003: Assassination of Abdullah al-Qawasmi (commander of the al-Qassam Brigades in Hebron) by gunfire from an Israeli special forces unit while he was leaving a mosque in central Hebron.
• August 21, 2003: Assassination of Ismail Abu Shnab (member of the political leadership of Hamas in Gaza) by three Israeli aircraft firing five missiles at his car in Gaza.
• September 10, 2003: Assassination of Khaled Mahmoud al-Zahar (son of a prominent Hamas leader) by an aerial bombardment on his home in Gaza City, injuring his father Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar, who was the intended target of the attack but survived.
• March 22, 2004: Assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin (founder of Hamas and a leading figure in the Islamic revival in Palestine) by missiles fired by Israeli aircraft while he was in his wheelchair returning from Fajr prayer at a mosque in Gaza City.
• April 17, 2004: Assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi (one of the founders of Hamas and its leader after Sheikh Yassin's death) by an Israeli airstrike targeting his car in Gaza City. He had survived a previous airstrike about 14 months earlier.
• May 30, 2004: Assassination of Wael Nassar (a leader of the Qassam Brigades in Gaza) by an Israeli airstrike targeting his motorcycle on Salah al-Din Street in the center of Gaza City.
• September 26, 2004: Assassination of Izz al-Din Khalil (a Hamas leader) by a car bomb planted in front of his home in the Al-Zahira neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. The Hamas movement accuses the Israeli Mossad of carrying out the operation.
• October 21, 2004: Assassination of Adnan al-Ghul (chief engineer of the al-Qassam Brigades) by Israeli missiles targeting his car on Yafa Street in the center of Gaza City, after more than 14 years of mutual pursuit between him and the occupation.
• January 19, 2010: Assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh (a leader in Hamas) by Israeli Mossad agents in a Dubai hotel in the United Arab Emirates.
• February 26, 2016: Assassination of Omar Nayef (a leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) in the Palestinian embassy in Bulgaria, with accusations directed at the Mossad for carrying out the assassination.
• December 15, 2016: Assassination of Mohamed Zouari, a Tunisian engineer who supervised the development of drone technology for the al-Qassam Brigades and played a key role in producing the Ababil-1 drone used by the al-Qassam movement for the first time in Operation Protective Edge, among other projects. He was assassinated by the Israeli Mossad in Sfax, Tunisia, in mid-December when two assassins intercepted his path with a small truck and intensely opened fire, with three bullets hitting his chest and head, causing his death.
• March 24, 2017: Assassination of Mazen Faqha, who was a leader in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank. He had been imprisoned in Tel Aviv before being released in the “Wafa al-Ahrar” prisoner exchange deal but was assassinated by Israeli agents in Gaza City in the first quarter of 2017.
• April 21, 2018: Assassination of Fadi al-Batch, a Palestinian scientist from Jabalia in Gaza. He held a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, was a lecturer at the University of Kuala Lumpur, and held a patent for increasing the efficiency of electrical power networks, among other inventions. He was killed by two “unknown” assailants on a motorcycle who shot him ten times as he was heading to Fajr prayer. It was later revealed that the attackers were connected to the Israeli Mossad.
• November 12, 2019: Assassination of Baha Abu al-Ata, a prominent military and field leader of the Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Gaza. He and his wife were killed in a focused missile strike that hit their home in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City, carried out by Israeli aircraft.
• November 27, 2020: Assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, an Iranian nuclear scientist often considered the top nuclear scientist in Iran and referred to as the “father of the Iranian nuclear program.” He was killed using a self-destructing gun placed in a truck by 20 agents, with varying accounts of the killing method. Tehran blamed the Israeli Mossad for the operation and vowed to retaliate.
• May 12, 2021: Assassination of Jamal al-Zabda, a mechanical engineer with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, specializing in civil aviation. He was in charge of developing rocket technology for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades before being killed by the Israeli army on May 12 during the Gaza war known as Operation Sword of Jerusalem.
• May 11, 2022: Assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian journalist working for Al Jazeera. She was killed by Israeli soldiers on the morning of May 11 while covering an incursion into Jenin. Her death sparked significant global outrage, and the investigation by the public prosecutor confirmed that Israeli soldiers stationed near her were responsible for her death.
• August 5, 2022: Assassination of Taysir al-Jabari, a prominent leader in the Islamic Jihad Movement, specifically the military commander for the northern region of the Al-Quds Brigades. He was killed by Israeli forces on the evening of August 7, 2022, in an attack that Tel Aviv referred to as Operation Dawn of Truth.
• August 7, 2022: Assassination of Khaled Mansour, another prominent leader in the Islamic Jihad Movement, serving as the military commander for the southern region of the Al-Quds Brigades. He was killed on the night of August 7 in an Israeli air raid targeting several homes in Rafah, with local civil defense confirming his death after hours of digging through the rubble.
• August 9, 2022: Assassination of Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, a prominent leader in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and one of the key field commanders responsible for various attacks on Israeli forces in Nablus. He became one of the most wanted individuals by Tel Aviv. After two failed assassination attempts, Ibrahim was killed along with two companions by the Israeli army in a house they had sought refuge in, which was then struck by a shoulder-fired missile.
• March 23, 2023: Assassination of Amir Abu Khadijah, a prominent field commander in the West Bank cities, serving as the commander of the Tulkarm Battalion and founder of its Rapid Response Unit. He was on Israel's most-wanted list for orchestrating a series of attacks on Israeli settlements and military forces. After a prolonged chase, Israeli special forces, supported by undercover units, Shin Bet, and border police, assassinated him in a targeted operation that surrounded his fortified home in the Shufa suburb southern Tulkarm on the morning of March 23, 2023, coinciding with the first day of Ramadan.
• May 9, 2023: Assassination of Jihad al-Ghannam, a prominent leader in the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, and the Secretary of the Al-Quds Brigades. He was killed in a joint operation by the Israeli army and Shin Bet, by an airstrike targeting his home in Rafah, resulting in his death along with his wife.
• May 9, 2023: Assassination of Khalil al-Bahthini, who was killed in the same operation that targeted Jihad al-Ghannam and a third leader, Tarek Muhammad Izz al-Din. Khalil was a prominent leader in the Islamic Jihad Movement, a member of its military council, and the northern region commander of the Al-Quds Brigades. He played a significant role in establishing the military media of the movement. Notably, Khalil succeeded Taysir al-Jabari, who was killed by Israel in 2022.
• May 9, 2023: Assassination of Tarek Izz al-Din, an Islamic Jihad leader during the military operation named Operation Shield of Defense. Tarek had been sentenced to life imprisonment by Tel Aviv since 2002 for his role in directing the Khadera operation (2001). He served about 13 years of his sentence before being released in the “Wafa al-Ahrar” prisoner exchange deal. Tarek was the head of the West Bank media office for the Islamic Jihad Movement, its spokesperson in the West Bank, and one of the prominent media faces of the Palestinian resistance, overseeing numerous military operations against Israel.
• May 11, 2023: Assassination of Ali al-Ghali, a member of the military council of the Al-Quds Brigades and the head of its rocket unit. He was killed on May 11, 2023, following an Israeli airstrike targeting his location in Khan Younis as part of Operation Shield of Defense. Tel Aviv had accused al-Ghali of participating in and directing rocket attacks on Israel.
• November 6, 2023: Assassination of Jihad Shihada, the commander of the “Tulkarm Battalion - Rapid Response” and one of its founders. He was one of Israel’s most-wanted individuals and was killed by Israeli special forces on the 31st day of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
• January 2, 2024: Assassination of Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut on the evening of Tuesday, January 2, 2024 (20 Jumada al-Thani 1445 AH), at the age of 57. He was killed 88 days after the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, following an Israeli airstrike targeting a Hamas office in the Masharifah neighborhood of southern Beirut.
• March 18, 2024: Assassination of Faiq al-Mabhouh, head of the Operations Directorate of Hamas's Internal Security. He was killed during a gunfight with Israeli forces inside Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza on Monday morning, March 18, 2024 (8 Ramadan 1445 AH).
• July 31, 2024: Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas Political Bureau, in an airstrike targeting his residence in Tehran, Iran. According to reports, Haniyeh was killed at 2 AM, hours after the assassination of Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr in an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs, for which the Israeli army claimed responsibility.

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Sources:

• Wikipedia
• Aljazeera Net
• Assabeel
• Al-Masry Al-Youm
• Anadolu Agency
• The New Arab

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Early this morning, I received news of the martyrdom of the mujahid leader Abu Al-Abd Ismail Haniyeh; I was seized with panic, pain, and dizziness, and then I rushed to news platforms to verify the truth of the news and its implications. After spending considerable time following up, I returned to myself, asking: What is this panic that seized you? And what is this dizziness that afflicted you?

Did you think that talk of sacrifice and jihad was just propaganda and statements? Did you think that dying in the path of Allah is exclusively for those in trenches, ranks, and camps? Did you not know that whoever lives by something will die by it, and whoever dies by it will be resurrected by it, and that the blood shed in martyrdom will be his proof on the Day of Judgment? As narrated by Abu Huraira, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "By He in whose hand my self is! None of you is wounded in the way of Allah - and Allah knows best who is wounded in HisWay, but that when the Day of Rising comes, blood will gush forth from his wound. It will be the colour of blood, but its scent will be that of musk." (Reported by Bukhari).

Did you not know that the weapons they carried on their shoulders, and the appearance they had during their jihad, will be a mark distinguishing them on the Day of Judgment and reasons for their precedence to the Gardens of Delight? The sign of this is what Anas narrated that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When the servants stand for accountability, a group will come with their swords on their necks, dripping with blood, and they will crowd at the gate of Paradise. It will be said: Who are these? It will be said: The martyrs who were alive and provided for" (Reported by Al-Tabarani, Hassan). The sword is mentioned in the hadith because it was the predominant weapon at that time, and today's weapons are included in its meaning, so the martyrs of our time will come on the Day of Judgment carrying the weapons they used.

Then I returned to myself asking: Did you forget that whoever claims something, it is incumbent upon Allah to test him in it? Allah tested your companion in his children and grandchildren, and he showed patience that amazed the creatures. When he was truthful with Allah in patience, steadfastness, and certainty, Allah rewarded him with the ranks of the martyrs, the righteous, and the good.

Did you think that steadfastness necessarily ends with the survival of the preacher and the death of the people of falsehood and calumny? Have you not heard the words of Allah addressing His Prophet (peace be upon him): "So be patient, [O Muhammad]; indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And whether We show you some of what We have promised them or We take you in death, it is to Us they will be returned." (Ghafir: 77), and His words: "And whether [or not] We take you away [in death], indeed, We will take retribution upon them. Or whether [or not] We show you that which We have promised them, indeed, We are Perfect in Ability." (Az-Zukhruf: 41-42).

Then I returned asking myself: What are you grieving over? And why all this distress and anxiety? My soul said: I grieve because the criminal enemy has struck at the valiant resistance, assassinating a prominent leader among its ranks. I replied to it: When has the nation ever triumphed by the birth of a leader or his death? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) died, and the companions, especially Umar, were shaken until Abu Bakr declared, establishing a doctrinal and intellectual foundation: "Whoever worships Muhammad, Muhammad has died. And whoever worships Allah, Allah is alive and never dies." The companions then awoke and advanced to carry out the mission with guidance.

Abu Bakr died during highly sensitive times, and then Umar came to be a Furqan, through whom Allah raised the banner of religion. This is how the glorious history of the nation has been throughout the ages and times.

The death of a leader or more does not mean the defeat of truth and the victory of falsehood. Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, the founding leader, was martyred, and before him, Sheikh Hassan Al-Banna, the founding leader, was martyred, as well as the leader Dr. Abdel Aziz Al-Rantissi, among many others. Their martyrdom was nothing but a youthful launch for strong leaders, a firm rooting of the idea, the spread of the method, the anger of falsehood, and the elevation of the banner.

The criminals did not triumph by targeting a gallant political leader, but they failed in the field and resorted to the methods and tactics of highwaymen. Allah will bring forth new leaders to replace the ones, and the cause will grow its branches and strengthen its roots as much as it is watered by the blood of martyrs.

My soul said to me: But he was an eloquent preacher, a proficient memorizer of the Quran, a gentle brother, and a dear companion. I said to it: Yes, we grieve for the loss of loved ones, but with our certainty that, by being chosen for martyrdom, they are alive, not just alive, but alive with their Lord, provided for and rejoicing. Allah has forbidden us from calling them dead, saying: "And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, “They are dead.” Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not." (Al-Baqara: 154).

They have shed the shirt of suffering, the garment of trials, and the body of tests, for their souls to transition to the highest gardens, roaming in their bliss, delighting in their Lord's pleasure. What did Abu Al-Abd lose by the assassination?

He gained what no human imagination could conceive. If it were decreed for me to speak with Abu Al-Abd now and ask him: What do you wish, Abu Al-Abd? Would you wish that you had not gone to this ceremony so that you would not be killed, or would you wish to be in another hotel, or that the enemy did not manage to reach you?

He would undoubtedly answer me: No, by Allah, I only wish to return to you to be killed again and again and again in the path of Allah. The sign of this is that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "No one who has entered Jannah will desire to return to this world even if he should be given all that the world contains, except a martyr. For he will yearn that he should return to the world and be killed ten times on account of the dignity that he will experience by virtue of his martyrdom." (Reported by Bukhari).

The blessed cause has not lost, nor has it been defeated. Rather, every heedless person has been awakened, strength has surged through the body of every mujahid, the proof has been established against every idle and lazy person, and the journey of jihad has deepened in every coming generation. It has become a duty upon every Muslim on the entire earth to avenge every wicked occupier, as the battle has expanded to encompass the entire earth, and the spilled blood has awakened the entire nation in all its colors.

Abu Al-Abd was martyred to teach the nation that whoever lives devoted to his cause, preserving its principles, Allah will reward him with martyrdom for the cause he lived for. The end-of-service reward for the people of jihad lies in being chosen for martyrdom in His path.

Abu Al-Abd was martyred far from Gaza of pride, so that despite the distances, he would be a martyr with the children who were assassinated by the hands of international crime, with the women whose homes and shelters were destroyed over their heads, with the men in the fields of defending the land and honor, and with the mujahideen in the tunnels, under bombardment, atop the spears, and at the forefront of the ranks. It is a system of sacrifice and jihad where companionship has become inseparable.

Abu Al-Abd achieved what he wanted, and we reckon he emerged from the furnace of trial to the honor of proximity, from the heat of battles to the expanses of blessed dominions, and from the world of hypocrisy and betrayal to the world of grace and generosity. Do not be preoccupied with his position and stance; rather, be preoccupied with your own position and mission. Be preoccupied with the state in which you will meet your Lord, your sincerity in carrying the banner, and your efforts to plant it deep in the heart of the Muslim Ummah, so you may be with Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and be gathered with the truthful ones whom Allah mentioned: "And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions." (An-Nisa: 69).

Be sincere with Allah in seeking martyrdom, and Allah will grant you martyrdom wherever you are, and declare it clearly and plainly:

I will die clinging to the rope of my faith
And I will die smiling so that my religion may live

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