Hamas Says Chief Negotiator Khalil al-Hayya Survived Israeli Strike In Qatar

Last Updated:September 12, 2025, 23:36 IST

Hamas confirmed Khalil al-Hayya survived an Israeli strike in Doha and attended funeral prayers in Qatar for his son Hammam and others killed in the attack.

Khalil al-Hayya, senior leader and top Hamas legislative candidate, smiles during an interview with AFP at his office in Gaza City (AFP)

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Friday claimed that the group’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, was not killed in Israel’s strike on a Hamas compound in Qatar’s Doha earlier this week.

“Under special security arrangements, Dr Khalil al-Hayya… took part in the funeral prayers in Qatar for his martyred son Hammam and the other martyrs of the cowardly assassination attempt in Doha," news agency AFP reported, citing the militant group’s statement.

On Tuesday, Israel launched an airstrike in Doha aimed at senior Hamas figures. While Hamas stated that its top leaders survived the attack, five of its members were killed, along with a member of Qatar’s security forces.

Hamas identified the slain members as Humam al-Hayya, son of top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya; Jihad Labad, his office director; and bodyguards Ahmad Mamlouk, Abdallah Abdelwahd, and Mumen Hassoun.

Qatari authorities confirmed the death of Lance Corporal Badr Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi al-Dosari. They also acknowledged the deaths of three Hamas members in the incident.

The strikes, jointly carried out by the Israeli military and Shin Bet, marked the first-ever Israeli military action on Qatari soil, a significant escalation in the broader regional fallout of the Gaza war.

Doha has hosted several rounds of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, acting as a key mediator alongside Egypt and the United States. Hamas’s political bureau has been based in Qatar since 2012, with the approval of Washington.

The strike has drawn swift and severe criticism from across the region and the world.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the airstrike as a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar", adding that Doha has “been playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and release of all hostages."

Egypt, another key mediator in the conflict, denounced the attack as a “dangerous precedent" and a “direct assault on Qatari sovereignty". Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called the strike an “unacceptable development."

Iran, a staunch backer of Hamas, described the incident as an “extremely dangerous and criminal action."

Saudi Arabia echoed the outrage, condemning the “brutal Israeli aggression" and “blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty."

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...Read More

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...

Read More

News world Hamas Says Chief Negotiator Khalil al-Hayya Survived Israeli Strike In Qatar

Read More