Where is Khalil al-Hayya? Key Hamas Leader Notably Absent From Doha Funeral
Senior Hamas officials attended the funeral for six people killed in the Israeli strike in Doha, but the absence of a key leader raises further questions about the attack's effectiveness and the fate of its primary targets.
Hamas today published photos from the funeral held in Doha for the six individuals killed in the Israeli strike, five Palestinians and one Qatari security officer. Senior members of the Hamas political bureau, including Osama Hamdan and Izzat al-Rishq, were present. A notable absence was Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, whose son was killed in the strike. According to a Hamas statement, the funeral was also attended by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad, and other senior Qatari government officials.
In the first official Hamas statement since the attack, spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum called the strike a "declaration of war" by Israel against every Arab and Islamic country. He accused Israel of attempting to assassinate not only the Hamas negotiating team but also the entire mediation process itself, which was being led by Qatar and Egypt. Barhoum also claimed the U.S. government was a "full partner in this crime" due to its political and moral support for Israel. Despite the attack, he stressed that Hamas's demands for a ceasefire, including a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a prisoner exchange, and reconstruction, would not change.
The identities of the Hamas leaders targeted in the strike remain unconfirmed. A source from the organization told a Saudi newspaper that the specific leaders who were the target of the assassination attempt were not present at the funeral, adding to the confusion. This contrasts with the appearance of some officials who had been previously identified as potential targets.
An Israeli source has admitted that the optimism surrounding the strike has "decreased," noting there is currently no indication that the targeted Hamas leaders were eliminated. The IDF is conducting a bomb damage assessment to analyze the results of the strike, but until now, terror organizations have repeatedly denied the death of their leaders. The White House, meanwhile, has issued a statement that the "unilateral bombing" was not helpful to U.S. or Israeli interests, while President Trump has said he sees the incident as an "opportunity for achieving peace."
