Hamas elects Khalil al-Hayya as new political chief, ending nearly two-year leadership vacuum
Khalil al-Hayya, the group's chief negotiator during the Gaza war, was elected on Monday to head its political bureau, filling a role vacant since Israel killed Yahya Sinwar in October 2024.
On 20 July 2026, Hamas announced the election of Khalil al-Hayya as the new head of its political bureau, ending a leadership vacuum that had lasted since the death of Yahya Sinwar in October 2024. Al-Hayya, 65, previously served as Sinwar's deputy and was the group's lead negotiator in indirect ceasefire talks with Israel. The internal vote, described by Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi as a tight race against former leader Khaled Meshal, consolidates power after months of deliberation by a five-member interim council.
The leadership vacuum
Since Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in October 2024, Hamas had been run by a council headed by veteran official Mohamed Darwish. The group had not appointed a political chief since Israel assassinated two leaders in rapid succession: Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024 and Sinwar three months later. Al-Hayya was a member of that interim council, making his elevation a controlled transfer rather than a surprise, as noted by ZEIT ONLINE.
- Hamas-led attack on Israel kills about 1,200 people and takes 250 hostages.
- Ismail Haniyeh assassinated by Israel in Tehran.
- Yahya Sinwar killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
- Ceasefire agreement signed between Hamas and Israel.
- Khalil al-Hayya elected political chief of Hamas.
Who is Khalil al-Hayya?
Born in Gaza in 1960, al-Hayya left the territory shortly before the 7 October 2023 attacks to coordinate with allies abroad, including a senior Iranian commander, according to internal Hamas documents obtained by The New York Times. He is seen as closer to Iran than some other Hamas figures. During the war, he shuttled between Qatar and Egypt, serving as the chief negotiator for a ceasefire and hostage release deal. That agreement was eventually signed in October 2025, but its full implementation remains stalled.
Ceasefire stalemate
More than nine months after the U.S.-brokered truce, Hamas has not disarmed, Israeli forces continue near-daily bombings in Gaza, and many Gazans remain in tent camps or half-destroyed homes. The war, triggered by the Hamas-led assault on 7 October 2023 that killed about 1,200 people and took 250 hostages, has devastated the Strip. Gaza health officials report over 70,000 fatalities, a count that does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but includes thousands of children.
Personal toll
Al-Hayya has lost several sons in Israeli strikes. An attack in Doha in 2025, which targeted senior Hamas figures, killed one of his sons, according to Deutsche Welle. Another son, Azzam al-Hayya, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza in early May 2026, as reported by the NYT. ORF notes that four of his sons have been killed overall. Al-Hayya himself survived the Doha assassination attempt.
What comes next
Al-Hayya's election may influence the stalled negotiations over the ceasefire's next phase. His close ties to Iran and his role as the architect of the October 2025 agreement position him as a continuity candidate, but the internal power struggle with Meshal suggests divisions within Hamas. The group's ability to govern Gaza or reach a lasting settlement remains uncertain as the humanitarian crisis deepens.
