Hamas has officially announced that Khalil al-Hayya is the new head of its political bureau, replacing Yahya Sinwar, according to the group's media channels. Al-Hayya had been serving as acting leader since Sinwar's assassination in Gaza.
Hamas has officially confirmed Khalil al-Hayya as the new head of its political bureau, the group announced via its official media channels Monday afternoon. The confirmation formalizes al-Hayya's position as the organization's top political leader, replacing Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in Gaza in October 2024.
The initial announcement of al-Hayya's election came at 14:04 Jerusalem, when The Zioneer reported that Hamas had named him as leader. That version included a direct warning to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Eyal Zamir — 'pay attention' — but a subsequent official statement at the same time omitted that warning. Israeli media, including The Times of Israel, confirmed the election at 14:04. Minutes later, at 14:39, journalist Daniel Amram reported that al-Hayya had previously praised the October 7, 2023 massacre as a 'military achievement and source of pride.'
As The Zioneer reported on July 16, the election process had gone to a second round between Khaled Mashal and al-Hayya. On July 19, voting was underway with security prisoners casting ballots. Al-Hayya had been serving as acting leader since Sinwar's assassination and has been the group's lead negotiator in ceasefire talks. The appointment formalizes his leadership of Hamas's political wing amid ongoing negotiations over Gaza's reconstruction.
It remains unclear how the appointment will affect internal power dynamics within Hamas, particularly between al-Hayya's political wing and the military wing, which operates under separate leadership.
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