Hamas says Khalil al-Hayya elected as group's new chief

Palestinian group Hamas announced Monday that it had elected Khalil al-Hayya as the new head of its political bureau. Al-Hayya, the group's lead negotiator in indirect Gaza ceasefire talks with Israel, succeeds slain leader Yahya Sinwar. The move fills the top post that had remained vacant since Sinwar's death.

Who is Khalil al-Hayya?

Khalil al-Hayya was born in 1960 and has served as Hamas's lead negotiator in indirect ceasefire talks with Israel. He previously held a senior role within the movement's political bureau. He survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Doha last year, an attack that killed one of his sons.

What did Hamas's statement say?

Hamas confirmed the appointment in a formal statement issued Monday. The group said it announces the election of "brother mujahid Khalil al-Hayya" as head of the movement's political bureau, succeeding the "martyred leader Yahya al-Sinwar." The statement framed the move as a continuation of the movement's leadership rather than a break from it.

Who was Yahya Sinwar?

Yahya Sinwar led Hamas's political bureau before his death. Israel accused him of being one of the principal architects of the October 7, 2023, attacks. Israeli forces killed him in Gaza a year later, in October 2024.

Who led Hamas after Sinwar's death?

Following Sinwar's killing, Hamas did not immediately name a single successor. Instead, a leadership council headed by long-time senior official Mohammed Darwish ran the movement. Khalil al-Hayya's election now moves Hamas from collective leadership back to a designated political bureau chief.