Hamas appoints Khalil Al-Hayya as new Leader

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Hamas announced that Khalil Al-Hayya will succeed Yahya Sinwar as the group's new leader in Gaza.

Hamas' official website published a document signed by its new leader, in which he declared that Gaza has entered a new phase centered on rebuilding and reconstruction, highlighting the importance of solidarity and compassion in the post-war period.

Al-Hayya, who was a leading candidate to succeed Sinwar alongside Khaled Meshaal, played a pivotal role in ceasefire negotiations with Israel.

He also managed Hamas' official meetings with its allies abroad and has served as the deputy head of the movement's Political Bureau since August 2024, succeeding senior leader Saleh Al-Arouri, who was assassinated in Beirut's southern suburbs.

Khalil Al-Hayya earned a PhD from the University of the Holy Quran and Islamic Sciences, and became involved with Hamas shortly after completing his undergraduate studies during the First Intifada.

A long-serving official within the organization, Hamas new leader was a key ally of former leader Yahya Sinwar, regarded as one of the few individuals Sinwar trusted deeply.

Sinwar was killed on October 16, 2024, during a shootout with Israeli forces in Rafah, southern Gaza, after being spotted by Israeli soldiers by chance.

Israel has so far refused to hand over Sinwar's body to Hamas, despite ongoing prisoner exchange deals.