Linked to Iran, imprisoned in Israel, and narrowly escaping several assassination attempts, al-Hayya was appointed deputy to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in 2021 and now serves as Hamas's chief negotiator.
Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya has stirred significant anger across the Arab world in recent days, after calling on citizens of Jordan and Egypt to march toward the Gaza border. But who exactly is he?
Before Oct. 7, 2023, al-Hayya served as deputy to Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar. He left the Gaza Strip before the Oct. 7 onslaught on Israel and has since mostly been based in Qatar, though he has also made visits to Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria.
Born during the Egyptian occupation in the Gaza Strip in November 1960, al-Hayya joined Hamas during the 1987–1993 First Intifada against Israel. He was arrested in the early 1990s and served a three-year prison sentence in Israel for involvement in terrorism.