DaysofPal- Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas’s negotiating delegation, appeared on Sunday in a video released by the Hamas Movement in his first public appearance since surviving the Israeli missile strike in Doha, Qatar, last month.
The short video showed al-Hayya seated and speaking calmly, declaring that the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza has overshadowed his personal grief.
“What I see every day of killing and destruction in Gaza makes me forget the pain of losing my children and loved ones. We as leaders are the same as the citizens of our people,” he said.
The September 9 Israeli attack targeted a Hamas delegation in Qatar’s capital as they met to discuss a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the war in Gaza, which was condemned by most of the world.
According to reports, the Israeli airstrike killed al-Hayya’s office director, Jihad Labad; his son, Homam al-Hayya; three aides; and a Qatari security officer.
Al-Hayya’s survival and reemergence have significant political implications, coming at a time when Hamas and the Israeli occupation are under renewed international pressure to reach a ceasefire agreement.
His appearance serves as a symbolic message of defiance and continuity within Hamas’s leadership structure, despite the repeated Israeli attempts to decapitate the group’s political and military command.
The Israeli attack on Qatari soil marked a major escalation, prompting a diplomatic crisis between the Israeli occupation and Qatar, one of the main mediators in the Gaza conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later apologized to Qatar’s prime minister for the strike and for the killing of a Qatari national.
Al-Hayya, a senior member of Hamas’s political bureau, has long been involved in negotiation efforts and is expected to continue leading talks over a potential truce and prisoner exchanges. His survival ensures continuity in Hamas’s diplomatic channel, which remains crucial as international mediators, led by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, seek to end more than two years of devastating conflict.
The Israeli genocidal war, which began in October 2023 has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and displaced millions, according to Gaza health officials. Despite recent diplomatic momentum and calls from world leaders, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continued overnight, further dimming hopes for a near-term ceasefire.
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