Key facts
- Khalil al-Hayyah has been elected as the new head of Hamas's political bureau.
- He succeeds Yahya al-Sinwar, who was killed by the Israeli army in October 2024.
- Al-Hayyah defeated Khaled Mashaal in an internal election.
- Al-Hayyah is considered a hardliner closely aligned with Sinwar's strategic outlook.
- Al-Hayyah survived an attempted assassination by Israel in Qatar on September 9, 2025.
Hamas has announced the election of Khalil al-Hayyah as the new head of its political bureau, succeeding Yahya al-Sinwar, who was killed by the Israeli army in October 2024. Al-Hayyah, born in Gaza in 1960, defeated his main rival Khaled Mashaal in an internal election, signaling a continuation of the movement's hardline stance. He has been a member of Hamas since its founding in 1987 and is considered a close associate of Sinwar, deeply involved in the movement's operations within Gaza.
Al-Hayyah's political career began with the Muslim Brotherhood, from which Hamas emerged. He has been arrested multiple times by Israel and has experienced significant personal losses due to Israeli strikes. Unlike Mashaal, who represented Hamas's external leadership, al-Hayya is rooted in the Gaza-based faction. He has held sensitive portfolios within Hamas, including political coordination and media supervision, and is known for his pragmatic approach regarding Egypt's importance to the movement, despite past criticisms of Egyptian policy.
He previously served as the deputy chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from August to October 2024, succeeding Saleh al-Arouri. Al-Hayyah also survived an attempted assassination by Israel in Qatar on September 9, 2025.