Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya makes first appearance after assassination attempt in Doha

In his first appearance since surviving an assassination attempt in Doha, senior Hamas official and the movement's leader in Gaza Khalil al-Hayya delivered a message stating that the blood of martyrs, including his own sons, "will be a path to victory."

Al-Hayya appeared composed in his recorded address, broadcast by Al Araby TV.

"Today we live in the shadow of pain, yet also in the shadow of pride and dignity," he said. He emphasized that the suffering of the Palestinian people and their leadership is one and the same.

"I do not differentiate between my sons Hammam, Jihad, Abdullah, and Mo'men and the rest of the children of the Gaza Strip," al-Hayya said. "They are all my children, because they all fell to the crime of the Israeli occupation."

Al-Hayya's speech was largely motivational and did not address the assassination attempt nor give any other details of the incident last month. 

Assassination Attempt

Al-Hayya's televised statement marks his first public appearance since an ‘Israeli’ airstrike in Doha on September 9.

The attack, which targeted Hamas leaders, killed several of the group's members, including al-Hayya's son, Hammam, and his office manager, but missed the senior leaders and top figures.

The strike on Qatar's capital, a key mediator in the conflict, drew widespread international condemnation, with Qatar describing it as an act of "state terrorism."

Al-Hayya's emergence is seen as a sign of the failed assassination attempt and a show of strength by Hamas.

The timing is also significant, as al-Hayya is a prominent member of Hamas' negotiating team. His appearance comes amid crucial indirect talks in Cairo regarding Trump’s Gaza plan.