An Israeli airstrike has killed the son of Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya as negotiations continue over the future of Gaza under a U.S.-brokered peace framework backed by President Donald Trump.
According to senior Hamas official Basim Naim, Azzam Al-Hayya died on Thursday after suffering injuries from an Israeli strike carried out Wednesday night. He is the fourth son of Khalil Al-Hayya to be killed in Israeli military operations over the years.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the reported strike.
Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader living in exile, has reportedly survived several Israeli assassination attempts. Previous attacks targeting him resulted in the deaths of three of his sons during conflicts in Gaza and in a strike in Doha last year.
Before his son’s death was officially confirmed, Al-Hayya accused Israel of attempting to derail ongoing mediation efforts tied to President Trump’s Gaza peace initiative, which is being overseen by a diplomatic body known as the “Board of Peace.”
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Al-Hayya said the continued Israeli attacks showed a lack of commitment to the ceasefire agreement and threatened efforts to advance negotiations.
The latest escalation comes as Hamas leaders and representatives of other Palestinian factions are meeting in Cairo with regional mediators and Nickolay Mladenov, the lead envoy for the Board of Peace. The talks are focused on moving Trump’s Gaza reconstruction and ceasefire plan into a second phase.
The agreement, accepted by both Israel and Hamas in October, includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the beginning of reconstruction efforts in exchange for Hamas laying down its weapons.
However, Hamas disarmament remains one of the biggest obstacles in the negotiations. Hamas officials have stated they will not engage in detailed discussions on the second phase until Israel fulfills commitments made under the first stage of the ceasefire, including a full halt to attacks.
Local medics say at least 830 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, while Israel says militant groups have killed four Israeli soldiers during the same period.
Israel maintains that its military strikes are aimed at preventing attacks by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups against Israeli forces.