Palestinians today mark the first anniversary of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a central figure in their national struggle, killed in an Israeli airstrike on his residence in Tehran on 31 July 2024. His death was part of a wider campaign targeting senior Palestinian leaders, a move that sent shockwaves through Gaza and beyond.

Born in Al-Shati refugee camp in 1963, Haniyeh embodied the story of displacement and resistance familiar to generations of Palestinians. Rising from poverty, he became a key political figure, eventually serving as prime minister after leading his electoral bloc to victory in 2006. Throughout his career, he survived assassination attempts, arrests, and deportation, yet remained steadfast in his efforts to confront Israel’s occupation while advocating for Palestinian unity.

Haniyeh’s assassination is remembered not only as the loss of a political leader but also as a blow to a besieged people striving to assert their rights under extraordinary hardship. For many, his legacy lies in his ability to bridge politics and resistance while navigating immense external pressures.

A year on, his memory is invoked in Gaza’s streets and refugee camps, where his life story mirrors that of countless Palestinians enduring siege and dispossession. His death is seen as yet another chapter in a struggle marked by sacrifice, and a reminder of the heavy cost borne by those who dare to stand against oppression.