After the death of senior Hamas leaders Ismail Hanaiya and Yahya Sinwar in Israeli attacks last year, Khalil al-Haya has taken over the leadership role in the organization. As Gaza’s chief and chief negotiator, he has now emerged as Hamas’ most influential representative abroad.
Attempt To Attack In Doha
An attempt was made to target Khalil al-Haya in an Israeli attack in Doha, the capital of Qatar, recently. He had gone there to discuss the US proposal on a possible ceasefire between Israel and Palestine. This dialogue was taking place under the mediation of Qatar.
Decades-Old Relationship With The Organization
Born in 1960 in the Gaza Strip, Haya has been associated with Hamas since its inception in 1987. Earlier, in the early 1980s, he started his political journey by becoming a part of the Muslim Brotherhood, which later transformed into the formation of Hamas.
Played An Important Role In 2014
Khalil al-Haya played an important role in the 2014 ceasefire with Israel. After this, he left Gaza and started working as Hamas’s international representative. He made Qatar his new base and continued to strengthen the organization’s relations with Arab and Islamic countries.
Israel carried out air strikes on his house twice in 2007 and 2014. One of his close relatives died in the first attack, while his elder son, daughter-in-law and three grandsons were killed in the second attack. Despite these deep personal losses, he remained actively associated with the organization.
Strong Connections With Iran Too
Haya is also said to have strong ties with Iran. Iran is considered to be one of the major sources of arms and financial support to Hamas. Along with becoming the face of the organization abroad, Haya’s role is becoming increasingly important.
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