Video: Ismail Haniyeh Of Hamas Visited Park Glorifying Iran's 'Resistance' Against West Hours Before Assassination

Iranian media outlets released a video where deceased Hamas political wing chief Ismail Haniyeh is seen touring a theme park somewhere in Iran along with Palestinian Islamic Jihad chief Ziad al-Nakhaleh.

“A few hours before being assassinated, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh visited a theme park exhibition of the “Axis of Resistance” landmarks, along with the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad Ziad al-Nakhaleh,” Iran International, an Iranian news agency, said in a post.

It was not revealed which Iranian outlet captured the video.

The “Axis of Resistance”, in the “Axis of Resistance” landmarks that Haniyeh visited, refers to a coalition led by Iran, including groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis and allied forces in Syria and Iraq. They oppose Western and Israeli influence in West Asia, and want to strengthen regional autonomy and resist foreign intervention through military, political and ideological means.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed by an airstrike in the Iranian capital, Iran and the militant group said early Wednesday, blaming Israel for the shock assassination.

There was no immediate comment from Israel, which has vowed to kill Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders over the group’s Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. The strike came just after Haniyeh had attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president in Tehran, Iran said.

Hours before the Tehran strike, Israel carried out a rare strike in the Lebanese capital on Tuesday that it said killed a top Hezbollah commander allegedly behind the rocket strike.

The strike killed Haniyeh in a residence he uses in Tehran, Hamas said in a statement, after he attended the swearing-in of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, along with other Hamas officials and officials from Hezbollah and allied groups.

It quoted a past speech by Haniyeh in which he said the Palestinian cause has “costs” and “we are ready for these costs: martyrdom for the sake of Palestine, and for the sake of God Almighty, and for the sake of the dignity of this nation.”

(with inputs from Associated Press)