CAIRO/GAZA — An Israeli airstrike killed the deputy leader of Hamas’s political bureau, Khalil al-Hayya, in Rafah on Monday, Hamas’s Al-Aqsa Television and two Palestinian officials confirmed. The IDF said al-Hayya was targeted alongside three of his aides while in a vehicle near the central market. He was the most senior Hamas official killed since political leader Ismail Haniyeh in July 2024.
Al-Hayya had been leading the Hamas negotiating team in Cairo ceasefire talks. His killing effectively halts the current round of negotiations, a Hamas official said. Egypt and Qatar both condemned the strike as an attempt to “sabotage the talks.” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said it was “reviewing” its mediation role.
Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the strike after a midnight vote, according to an Israeli official. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office said al-Hayya was “responsible for orchestrating terror operations that killed thousands of Israeli civilians” — a claim Hamas denied.
At least 18 people were killed in separate Israeli attacks across Gaza overnight, including seven children in a strike on a UN-run school in Deir el-Balah, the enclave’s Civil Defense directorate said. The UN said the school was sheltering more than 6,000 displaced civilians. The IDF said it targeted Hamas fighters operating from the school.
Egypt’s State Information Service said Cairo was “still coordinating” with all parties but acknowledged the talks had been set back significantly. Qatar’s foreign ministry called al-Hayya’s killing “a dangerous escalation that could derail all efforts.”
Written by Layla Hassan, MENA Correspondent