Hamas Confirms Leader Al-Hayya Is Alive After Israeli Strike

Hamas has officially confirmed that its senior leader, Khalil al-Hayya, is alive, directly contradicting initial reports of his death in a recent Israeli strike. According to a statement released by the terror group, al-Hayya reportedly visited the grave of his son, who was killed in the attack. However, no footage or documentation of the visit has been released to the public.

A source close to Hamas provided additional details to an Israeli news outlet, stating that while al-Hayya was wounded in the attack, no one from the senior leadership was killed. This new information challenges the earlier assessment that the strike, which targeted top Hamas officials gathered at a site in Doha, was a success. The apparent survival of the key leaders casts doubt on the operational effectiveness of the attack and its ability to significantly degrade Hamas's command structure.

The news from Hamas comes amidst a broader reassessment of the recent strike. Reports had emerged of significant internal opposition within the Israeli security establishment, with several top officials advising against the operation due to concerns about jeopardizing ongoing hostage negotiations. The Mossad spy agency, for instance, had reportedly refused to carry out a planned ground operation, forcing a reliance on an airstrike that now appears to have failed to achieve its primary objective.

The official confirmation that al-Hayya is alive, coupled with the insider information that no leaders were killed, suggests that while the strike may have caused some damage, it did not deliver the decisive blow that was initially hoped for. The failure to eliminate the top leadership in Doha could have far-reaching diplomatic consequences, particularly with Qatar, a key mediator in the hostage talks that has expressed outrage over the attack on its soil.