Israeli military confirms strike that killed 3 sons of Hamas leader

The Israeli military says it struck and killed three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, saying they were operatives for the militant group.

The military said the airstrike happened Wednesday. It described the men as a cell commander and two military operatives.

Haniyeh’s sons are among the highest-profile figures to be killed in the war so far.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Three sons of Hamas ' top political leader were killed Wednesday by an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, the leader said, and he accused Israel of acting in “the spirit of revenge and murder.”

Ismail Haniyeh's sons are among the highest-profile figures to be killed in the war so far. It was not immediately clear how their deaths might affect the monthslong cease-fire talks being brokered by international mediators, though Haniyeh said Hamas would not cave in to the pressure.

Haniyeh confirmed the deaths in an interview with the Al Jazeera satellite channel, saying his sons “were martyred on the road to liberating Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

“The criminal enemy is driven by the spirit of revenge and murder and does not value any standards or laws,” he said in the phone interview.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army.

In his interview with Al Jazeera, Haniyeh said the killings would not pressure Hamas into softening its positions.

“The enemy believes that by targeting the families of the leaders, it will push them to give up the demands of our people,” he said. “Anyone who believes that targeting my sons will push Hamas to change its position is delusional.”

Haniyeh lives in exile in Qatar, where Al Jazeera is based. Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV station aired footage of Haniyeh