Azzam al-Hayya, a son of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, was killed in a strike in Gaza City, Israeli officials confirmed Wednesday. They said he was a member of Hamas’ elite Nukhba force.
The Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Quds network had earlier reported that Azzam al-Hayya was seriously wounded in the strike.
Khalil al-Hayya has lost several sons in Israeli strikes over the years. His home was bombed in 2007 and 2014. In 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, his eldest son, Osama, was killed along with Osama’s wife and son. Another son, Hamza, was killed in 2008. Hammam, another son, was killed in Israel’s strike in Doha, which targeted Khalil al-Hayya and other senior Hamas officials but failed to kill them.
Al-Hayya left Gaza before the Oct. 7 attacks, apparently to represent Hamas in future negotiations. He has led indirect talks with Israel on several occasions.
Since the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, al-Hayya has become one of Hamas’ most visible public figures, appearing in major speeches and providing updates on ceasefire and hostage negotiations. He also met directly with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Adam Boehler during talks on the deal that ended the Gaza war and secured the release of hostages.
In recent days, Hamas sources said al-Hayya was chosen as the group’s leader in Gaza in internal elections. The vote is seen as a step ahead of the selection of Hamas’ political bureau chief, with al-Hayya and Khaled Mashaal considered leading contenders.
Earlier Wednesday, Reuters reported that Nassim Kalazani, a senior officer in Hamas’ police force, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Sources told Reuters the strike targeted his vehicle in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. They said 17 others were wounded, while three Palestinians were killed in a separate strike.