By Afshain Afzal

Whom should we trust?

Iran has claimed that Hamas former leader Ismail Haniyah, who was in Tehran to attend 30^th July 2024 swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian, was hit by a drone on his North Tehran’s residence, in which he along with one of his bodyguards were martyred. Iranian media quoting a statement of Iran's Revolutionary Guards official said, “At 2:00 am, the residence of Ismail Haniyah, head of the political office of Hamas-Islamic Resistance, was hit in Tehran, and as a result of this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred”. Statement from Palestinian Government from exile in Eastern Europe has not yet been made public. 

In a conflicting statement quoted by Israeli media, Ismail Haniyah was killed in a drone attack in Beirut on 30^th July 2024, Israel retaliated with a UAV strike in Beirut in which two people were killed including Fuad Shukr alias Al Hajj Mohsinand Ismail Haniyah. IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Fuad Shukr was the commander responsible for the Golan Heights Majdal Shams Massacre, in which 12 children were murdered. It is the same area where Israel and the United States are trying to settle as many non-Muslims and other faiths as possible for the purpose best known to them. The killing of Fuad Shukr could not be confirmed from the inner circles. 

If we recall, there was a rocket attack on a football ground at Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights that killed 12 people including children. This attack was given extraordinary coverage. Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Saturday the rocket used in the deadly attack was an Iranian-made Fala Haq-1 fired by Hezbollah, which was carried out from an area located north of the village of Chebaa in southern Lebanon. Surprisingly on 13 March 2024, Hezbollah launched more than 100 Katyusha rockets on two Israeli military bases in the Golan Heights, but it was not taken that seriously. Reports say that there was an earlier understanding between Hezbollah and Israel over settlers and residents of the Golan Heights.

The ICC has issued Israeli Prime Minister Nethanyahu and other’s arrest warrants while the ICJ's Advisory has declared Israeli occupation of Gaza etc as illegal. Hence, it is the responsibility of every peace-loving individual and the nations to affect his arrest and handover to the Court. There are some claims that attempts will be made to arrest him either from within Israel or from other countries during his visit. The other names reflected in the ICC judgment including Palestinians, earlier submitted that the moment Nethanyahu's arrest is materialized they, if surviving, would surrender before the Court. Ironically, unconfirmed reports claim that Yaha Sinwar was martyred a long time back while Ismail Haniyah who were expected to reveal the truth about Hamas and its enemies who are supported by Israel and the US but projected as Palestinians’ wellwishers. Will Hezbollah and Iran show the dead bodies of Fuad Shukr and Ismail Haniyah to allow the people to believe it, otherwise it leads that Israel is only interested in the genocide of Palestinians.