Khalil Al-Hayya: Senior Hamas Leader Returns to Ceasefire Talks After Surviving Israeli Strike

Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader, has returned to the spotlight as he leads Hamas negotiators in indirect ceasefire talks with Israel in Egypt. His reappearance comes just weeks after surviving an Israeli missile strike in Doha, Qatar — an attack that killed his son, his chief of staff, Qatari security personnel, and several others.

The talks in Sharm el-Sheikh are focused on a proposed 20-point peace plan backed by former U.S. President Donald Trump. A key component of the plan involves the exchange of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails.

Hayya is considered one of Hamas’s most influential leaders abroad, second only to Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Iran in July 2024. Following Haniyeh’s death and the earlier killing of Yahya Sinwar — the architect of the October 7, 2023, attacks — Hayya has become a central figure in Hamas’s leadership. He is currently part of the five-member council based in Qatar that has been steering the group’s strategy.

A veteran member of Hamas since its inception in 1987, Hayya’s political career has been marked by personal loss and resilience. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood in the early 1980s alongside Haniyeh and Sinwar, laying the foundation for his long-standing role in the Islamist movement. Over the years, he has lost multiple family members in Israeli airstrikes — including three sons, his daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren. Despite these tragedies, he has remained at the forefront of Hamas’s political and diplomatic efforts.

Hayya left Gaza several years ago and has since acted as Hamas’s key liaison to the Arab and Islamic world, basing himself in Qatar. He also played a leading role in a 2022 delegation to Syria to restore ties with President Bashar al-Assad.

He has been central to Hamas's ceasefire negotiations with Israel in recent years and reportedly stated that the October 7 attacks were initially intended as a limited operation to capture Israeli soldiers for future prisoner swaps. According to Israel, 1,200 people were killed and 251 abducted in that assault. In response, Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry.

Hayya’s return to the negotiating table signals a renewed push for a ceasefire, despite the immense personal and political stakes involved.