Hamas named Khalil al-Hayya as its new leader after the killing of Yahya Sinwar by Israel in October 2024, the international media outlet reported on Monday.
Khalil al-Hayya was a former deputy chairman of Hamas and a member of its leadership council. In Hamas’ recent internal voting, Khalil al-Hayya defeated Hamas’ Khaled Meshaal, the Palestinian group confirmed.
Khalil al-Hayya became a prominent leader in Hamas after the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the military commander Mohammed Dief in Gaza, and the assassination of Ismael Haniyeh during his visit to Tehran in 2024.
Who is Khalil al-Hayya?
Khalil al-Hayya was born in 1960 in the Gaza Strip and was one of the founding members of Hamas. Al-Hayya joined Hamas in 1987 at the age of 27. Based in Qatar, Khalil al-Hayya led Hamas’s diplomatic front as he struggled to hold mediating talks with different countries, including Israel, Egypt, and the United States.
Al-Hayya played a key role in mediating talks with Israel to secure a Gaza ceasefire deal.
Khalil al-Hayya lost two sons
Khalil al-Hayya faced a huge loss following the killing of his two sons by the Israeli army.
His eldest son, Osama, died with his wife and three of his children in Israeli strikes during the 2024 war. In September 2025, Khalil al-Hayya lost another son named Humam when Israel attacked a residential complex in central Doha.
Also Read, Hamas announces dissolution of its government in Gaza
Earlier, the Palestinian movement Hamas dissolved the governing body that ran the Gaza Strip for nearly 20 years, paving the way for an unelected technocratic committee for civilian rule.
The decision could be a huge political paradigm change for Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007 after taking control of the territory from rival Palestinian organisation Fatah in elections to a legislative council in 2006.
