The Palestinian group Hamas announced the appointment of Khalil al-Hayya as its new leader.
He will succeed Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in an Israeli military strike in Gaza in October 2024.
Following the deaths of several senior Hamas leaders in Israeli attacks—including Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif—Khalil al-Hayya’s role and influence within the organisation have grown significantly.
Who is Khalil al-Hayya?
Khalil al-Hayya was born in the Gaza Strip in 1960 and has been a member of Hamas since the group’s establishment in 1987.
Serving as Yahya Sinwar’s deputy and a senior Hamas official, al-Hayya had been widely regarded as a leading candidate for the organisation’s top position.
Among Hamas’s leadership based outside Gaza, al-Hayya is considered one of the group’s most senior figures. From Qatar, he led the Hamas delegation in ceasefire negotiations with Israel.
He is known for his extensive knowledge of the situation in Gaza, as well as his strong network of contacts and deep understanding of developments in the territory.
After Yahya Sinwar assumed Hamas’s leadership, al-Hayya took charge of the group’s political and external affairs and had been directly overseeing Gaza-related matters.
In September last year, Israel carried out an attack targeting Hamas leaders in Doha, during which Israeli forces reportedly targeted Khalil al-Hayya and his associates.
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