Hamas names Khalil Al-Hayya as new leader

Hamas has appointed Khalil Al-Hayya as its overall leader, marking a significant change in the group's leadership as it continues to navigate the consequences of the war in Gaza and mounting international pressure to disarm.

Hayya succeeds Yahya Sinwar, who was killed during combat with Israeli forces in October 2024 while Hamas was engaged in a two-year conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip.

Previously serving as Hamas' Gaza chief in exile and its principal negotiator, Hayya has assumed an increasingly influential role within the movement following the deaths of Sinwar and former political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran in July 2024.

Among the leading candidates for the position, Hayya was widely regarded as taking a harder line than Khaled Meshaal, who heads Hamas' office in exile.

Israeli officials previously told Reuters that Hayya was among senior Hamas figures targeted during an Israeli strike in Doha in 2025, where he is currently based.

Hamas Faces Growing Challenges

Founded in 1987, Hamas is confronting one of the most difficult periods in its history after nearly two years of conflict that followed its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The organization also faces sustained international demands to surrender its weapons.

Although a U.S.-brokered ceasefire reached in October significantly reduced large-scale fighting, Israel continues to control more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip. Military operations have not completely ceased, and humanitarian conditions remain severe for Gaza's estimated two million residents.

Israel says its operations are directed against Hamas and other militants who pose an imminent threat. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately comment on Hayya's appointment.

Continuing Violence

Violence continued on Monday when an Israeli strike reportedly killed at least two Palestinians travelling in a vehicle in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, according to local medics. The Israeli military did not immediately issue a statement regarding the incident.

According to Gaza health officials, more than 1,150 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the October ceasefire. During the same period, four Israeli soldiers have reportedly been killed by militants operating in Gaza.

Hamas generally does not publicly disclose casualty figures among its own members.

Election Process

Following Sinwar's death, Hamas was temporarily led by a five-member higher council that included Khalil Al-Hayya, Khaled Meshaal, and three other senior officials.

The process of selecting a new overall leader began in January but was delayed by conflicts involving Iran and Lebanon, as well as ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza.

The election was conducted by a 50-member council representing Hamas members from Gaza, the occupied West Bank—including members held in Israeli prisons—and the movement's leadership in exile.

Analysts See Appointment as Defiant Signal

Palestinian political analyst Reham Owda said Hayya's selection demonstrates Hamas' intention to maintain its military strategy despite growing international pressure. “This indicates that negotiations related to disarmament are likely to face significant difficulties and obstacles,” Owda told Reuters.

According to Owda, Hayya's leadership signals the group's continued commitment to armed resistance, rejection of disarmament under any circumstances, efforts to rebuild its military capabilities, and determination to preserve its alliance with Iran and the so-called "Axis of Resistance."

Ceasefire Negotiations Remain Stalled

U.S. President Donald Trump's ceasefire proposal for Gaza calls for Hamas to disarm while requiring Israeli military withdrawals from the territory. The plan also envisions Gaza being administered by a technocratic Palestinian authority supervised by Trump's Board of Peace.

Despite ongoing negotiations involving Hamas, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, international mediators, and representatives of the Board of Peace, the parties have yet to achieve a comprehensive agreement capable of bringing the conflict to a permanent end.

Humanitarian Impact

The prolonged war has generated criticism of Hamas from within Gaza due to the extensive destruction and humanitarian suffering experienced across the enclave.

According to Gaza health authorities, more than 73,000 people have been killed during the conflict, while much of Gaza has been devastated by fighting.

The war began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, during which militants killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251 others, triggering Israel's military campaign in Gaza.