Khalil al-Hayya elected new Hamas chief, succeeds slain Sinwar

On Monday, Hamas declared that Khalil al-Hayya has been elected as the new leader of its political bureau, taking over from Yahya al-Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024. Al-Sinwar was labeled by Israel as a key planner behind the attacks on October 7, 2023. Following his death, Hamas was temporarily managed by a five-member council led by Mohammed Darwish. Born in 1960, al-Hayya survived an assassination attempt in Doha last year, although one of his sons lost his life. In the leadership election, he triumphed over former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal.