The city of Gaza today, Thursday, held a funeral for martyr Azam Khalil al-Hayya, the son of a prominent leader in Hamas and head of its negotiating delegation, adding to a long list of family martyrs who have fallen in successive confrontations and wars.
Azam was martyred as a result of injuries sustained from an Israeli airstrike that targeted him in the al-Daraj neighborhood in eastern Gaza last night. This targeting comes at a sensitive time for the negotiation process between Hamas and Israel through mediators, highlighting the cost of confrontation borne by the leadership level alongside the popular support in the Gaza Strip.
Details of the Incident
With Azam's martyrdom, the number of sons lost by leader Khalil al-Hayya rises to four, as he had previously lost Osama, Hamza, and Hamam. The only surviving son is Izz al-Din, who was injured in an Israeli bombing in the al-Tuffah neighborhood in April of last year.
Hamza was martyred during clashes with occupation forces in eastern Gaza in 2007, while his older brother Osama died along with family members in a bombing that targeted their home during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip in 2014. As for Hamam, he was martyred on September 9, 2025, following an Israeli airstrike that targeted the residence of the negotiating delegation in the Qatari capital, Doha.
The Israeli attacks have also affected the al-Hayya family, as a grandson of al-Hayya was martyred in early April 2025 in a bombing that targeted a school in the al-Tuffah neighborhood.
Background & Context
In a previously circulated video on social media platforms, Khalil al-Hayya reviewed the names of several family martyrs, including his brothers and their children, alongside some of his grandchildren and the grandchildren of his brothers. Following the news of his son's targeting, Khalil al-Hayya stated in a phone interview with Al Jazeera that "martyrdom will not intimidate the Palestinians," affirming that his son "is no different from any member of the Palestinian people."
Khalil linked the targeting of his sons to the negotiation process, considering that the attacks come as part of pressure on the negotiating delegation, accusing Israel of attempting to extract concessions through "killing and terrorism." He emphasized that the loss of his sons would not change his position, stating: "The killing of sons will not intimidate us, and if my son is the target, it is an honor for me and the Palestinian people."
Impact & Consequences
At the same time, Tasneem al-Hayya, the daughter of the Hamas leader, confirmed that her brother's martyrdom would not deter their father from his positions, urging him to remain steadfast in negotiations in the interest of the Palestinian people. Activists believe that the targeting of Azam al-Hayya is part of the pressure on his father during the ongoing negotiations mediated regionally, repeating the scenario of targeting the Doha delegation.
On the other hand, others considered that the repeated targeting of the sons of the movement's leaders enhances the image of "the leadership's cohesion with the people." Hamas leader Dr. Basem Naeem described al-Hayya as "a model of a leader connected to his people," asserting that targeting leaders and their sons is "an acknowledgment of impotence and failure, and it will not succeed in extracting positions."
Regional Significance
Hamas, for its part, condemned the targeting of Azam al-Hayya, considering it a "cowardly crime" within a trend that targets civilians and the families of leaders to influence their political positions. The movement affirmed in a statement that these operations "will not push the resistance to retreat from its constants," particularly regarding the cessation of aggression, ending the siege, and the complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
It also stressed that the blood being shed will not be a tool for political blackmail, but will increase the "cohesion of the resistance and popular support around it," considering that targeting the sons of leaders will not achieve its goals, but will deepen the insistence on continuing the confrontation.