Senior Hamas Official Khalil al-Hayya Survives Israeli Airstrike in Doha
A high-level Hamas delegation, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, has survived a recent aerial attack in Doha, according to a source within the Palestinian group who spoke to Al Jazeera.
Delegation Targeted During Meeting
The source confirmed that the Israeli airstrike targeted the location of the Hamas leadership delegation in the Qatari capital. The attack occurred while the officials were reportedly holding a meeting to discuss the latest international proposals for a ceasefire. Lebanese network Al Mayadeen also reported the survival of the Hamas negotiating team following the incident.
Who is Khalil al-Hayya?
Khalil al-Hayya, a prominent political figure within Hamas, is believed to have been the primary target of the operation. Born in Gaza in 1960, al-Hayya has been a member of Hamas since its founding in 1987 and has risen to become one of its most influential officials abroad.
Following the targeting of other Hamas leaders last year, al-Hayya has taken on a more significant role. He now serves as the group’s chief ceasefire negotiator and heads its Gaza affairs office in Doha, playing a crucial part in the movement’s diplomatic engagements with Arab and Islamic nations.
Al-Hayya’s personal history is marked by loss due to regional conflicts. Several of his family members, including his son, have been killed in previous Israeli strikes on Gaza. In 2007, an airstrike hit his family home, resulting in numerous casualties. During the 2014 war, a strike on his eldest son’s home killed his son, daughter-in-law, and their three children. Al-Hayya was not present during these attacks.
After leaving Gaza several years ago, he established a base in Doha, from where he continues to operate as a key link between Hamas and the international community.