Top Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya appears in first footage since Israeli strike in Qatar

Qatari TV on Sunday broadcast pre-recorded footage of Hamas’ top political official, Khalil al-Hayya, who was targeted – along with other senior Hamas leaders – in the Israeli aerial strike on Hamas’ headquarters in Doha last month.

In the footage, al-Hayya spoke about “sacrifice” in the Gaza war, which began with Hamas’ invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during which 1,200 Israelis were massacred and 251 were kidnapped.

“We grieve the loss of our people – women, children and the elderly,” al-Hayya said. “We belong to one big family, the Palestinian people, especially the people of Gaza, who today represent the nation in their struggle and steadfastness. We ask God to grant patience, comfort and peace to our people, and to defeat our enemy.”

While al-Hayya survived the Israeli strike, his son was reportedly killed and his wife wounded in the unprecedented attack on Qatari territory, where Hamas leaders have largely enjoyed immunity.

Al-Hayya became Hamas’ top political official following Israel’s elimination of his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran in July 2024.  

Hamas rejected multiple internationally proposed ceasefire agreements to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials reportedly blamed al-Hayya for the unsuccessful negotiations. The Israeli strike in Qatar was reportedly intended to eliminate him as an obstacle to a Gaza agreement.

In April, al-Hayya rejected Israel’s hostage release proposal by insisting on a complete end to the war and an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces stationed in Gaza.

“We are ready to immediately conduct real negotiations, on the release of all the captives in our hands in exchange for the release of an agreed number of prisoners held by the occupation. In return, the occupation must stop the war completely and withdraw completely from the Gaza Strip,” al-Hayya demanded at the time.

Ghazi Hamad, another senior Hamas official who survived last month’s strike in Qatar, spoke to Al Jazeera about the Israeli attack.

"It's not just us who are being attacked, but the entire [Arab] nation," Hamad told the Qatar-based news outlet. "Israel no longer has red lines. Netanyahu is talking about changing the face of the Middle East, and this requires an Arab response.”

Hamad praised the October 7 attack just weeks after it occurred. Last month, he reiterated his praise for the massacre following the decision by France, the UK, and several other Western governments to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in New York.

“You know what the benefit of October 7 is now? … If you look at the [United Nations] General Assembly yesterday, when about 194 people opened their eyes and looked at the atrocity, the brutality of Israel and all of them, they condemned Israel,” Hamad stated. “We waited for this moment for 77 years.”

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump presented a 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to halt offensive operations in Gaza after Trump claimed that Hamas is “ready for peace.”

The Trump plan stipulates that Hamas release the remaining 48 Israeli hostages within 72 hours after accepting the proposal.