An Israeli airstrike killed the son of Hamas’s chief negotiator in Gaza on Wednesday.
Reuters reported that Azzam Al-Hayya, son of Khalil Al-Hayya, had been killed. The Israeli strike on Gaza City killed at least one other Palestinian. Azzam is the fourth son of Hayya killed by Israeli strikes since 2008.
May 7 (Reuters) – An Israeli air strike has killed the son of Hamas’ chief negotiator in U.S.-mediated talks over Gaza’s future, a senior Hamas official said on Thursday, as leaders of the militant group held talks in Cairo aimed at safeguarding their truce with Israel.
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) May 7, 2026
The strike that killed Azzam happened at Hayya was meeting for US-mediated talks in Egypt. Israel has conducted similar assassination strikes against Hamas negotiators as talks were ongoing. Last year, Israel attempted to kill Hayya in Qatar while Hamas officials were meeting to discuss an agreement to end the war.
A Hamas official said the assassination of Azzam will harden the group’s position. “Targeting Azzam Khalil al-Hayya with shelling represents a peak of moral and ethical degradation,” said Taher al-Nono, a Hamas official wrote in a Facebook post. “Shelling and killing only make the negotiator more steadfast in his positions, in defending his people’s rights, and in their free will.”
While Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire in October, the IDF has continued to attack Gaza. Over 700 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the start of the truce.
Additionally, Israel has obstructed aid deliveries to Gaza. Most Palestinians have been displaced from their homes and are living in tent cities without infrastructure. Many Palestinians are suffering from diseases that spread without proper sanitation and housing.
