All About Khalil Al-Hayya, Top Hamas Top Leader Who Met Trump's Son-In-Law
Khalil Al-Hayya has emerged as the primary leader of Hamas following the deaths of previous commanders and has engaged in high-level negotiations with US envoy Jared Kushner. These talks have led to significant developments, including a ceasefire and discussions regarding the potential disarmament of the group in exchange for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Why it matters
The shift in US policy to engage directly with Hamas leadership represents a major change in diplomatic strategy regarding the Gaza conflict and regional stability.
Khalil Al-Hayya, the Hamas chief who met US envoy Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, in Cairo on Sunday, emerged as a pivotal figure in the Palestinian militant group during the Gaza war as Israel killed its other leaders.Named Hamas' overall leader in July, Hayya narrowly escaped assassination himself in a 2025 Israeli airstrike in Qatar that killed his son and aides.The Cairo meeting marked Hayya's second with Kushner: in October 2025, he led a Hamas delegation in negotiations with Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff, helping to clinch a deal that led to a ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages seized in the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in 2023.The meetings have marked a departure from Washington's longstanding policy of shunning Hamas, which the US designates as a terrorist group.Hayya served as part of a five-member council that ran the group from 2024 after Israel killed Hamas leader Yahya…
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