Iran’s president extends his condolences to Hamas leader over deaths of family members in Israeli strike

By Ahmet Dursun

ANKARA (AA) – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi extended his condolences to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who lost three of his sons and four of his grandchildren in an Israeli airstrike Wednesday.

Raisi said that those who remain silent or support Israel's attacks are accomplices in the crimes it commits, according to a statement from the Iranian presidency.

"Undoubtedly, this crime has further exposed the brutality of this regime and the massacre of children, showing that it does not adhere to any humanitarian and moral principles in its crimes against humanity in an attempt to save itself from the swamp of collapse, desperation and failure,” said the statement.

Gen. Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also conveyed his condolences to Haniyeh.

The airstrike targeted a car in which members of the Haniyeh family were traveling in the Al-Shati refugee camp near Gaza City as they were on their way to a celebration of the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Eyewitnesses said the airstrike effectively destroyed the car, killing or injuring everyone inside.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul