(Amends spelling of Shejaia neighbourhood in paragraph 13 to conform with Reuters style)
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Tom Perry
Aug 17 (Reuters) – Khalil Al-Hayya, the Hamas chief who met U.S. 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.
