Hamas announced on Monday that Khalil al-Haya will take over as its political director, succeeding Yahya Sinwar, who led the attack on October 7 and was killed in an Israeli airstrike in July 2024.
Al-Haya himself survived the Israeli airstrike, which occurred at the Hamas office in Doha, Qatar, in September 2025.
“Like Mr. Sinwar, Mr. al-Haya—also referred to as Abu Ousama—was imprisoned by Israel for three years in the early 1990s. He has survived numerous assassination attempts, allegedly orchestrated by Israel, one of which resulted in the deaths of nearly 30 of his relatives, including his wife and three children,” a report noted.
Sinwar held the position of Hamas political leader for just 70 days, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh, who was regarded as the overall leader of Hamas until he was killed by a bomb in Tehran in late July 2024. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later took credit for that assassination.
During Sinwar’s short tenure, he often encountered Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops, resulting in a unique clash of interests. Political leader appointments within Hamas have often gone unfulfilled.
According to Al Jazeera, Al-Haya has expressed admiration for Khalid Meshaal’s leadership. Meshaal led the political bureau of Hamas from 1996 to 2017 before Haniyeh took over.
The decision was made by Hamas’s governing body, the Shura General Council. A first-round vote didn’t yield a clear winner, leading to a run-off between Al-Haya and Meshaal. While Meshaal received more votes initially, Al-Haya ultimately prevailed in the final vote.
At 65, Al-Haya is originally from Gaza and was one of the founding members of Hamas in 1987. He faced multiple arrests by Israeli forces during the 1980s intifada but managed to secure key roles within Hamas, specifically as a negotiator in dealings with Israel.
Al-Haya played a significant role in using Israeli hostages to negotiate for a ceasefire during the conflict that erupted after the October 7, 2023, attacks. He has also been part of the five-member group directing the organization’s political affairs since Sinwar’s death in 2024.
Analysts quoted in a left-wing newspaper suggested that Al-Haya is aligned with a pro-Iranian faction within Hamas, contrasting with Meshaal, who is seen as closer to Sunni Arab nations like Qatar.
Palestinian analyst Reham Ouda stated that Al-Haya’s appointment signals Hamas’s continued commitment to armed resistance while rejecting disarmament. This, he warned, could lead to significant challenges in any future disarmament discussions.
Given the ongoing difficulties in negotiations and the absence of a response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government regarding Hamas’s new leadership, it seems unlikely that the selection made by the Shura Council will win favor from Israel.
Al-Haya has been quoted reflecting on the October 7 massacre, describing the initial goal as a limited operation aimed at capturing a few Israeli soldiers, which escalated into a chaotic situation that undermined Israeli military structures and devolved into widespread violence.
According to Al Jazeera, the animosity between Hamas’s new leader and Israel appears reciprocal, as Al-Haya has lost around 30 family members, including his wife and children, due to Israeli actions over the years.
Meanwhile, supporters of Meshaal have advocated for Hamas to learn from past conflicts and shift away from a strict focus on armed struggle toward a more pragmatic political stance while retaining the movement’s essential goals.
On the contrary, Al-Haya represents a hard-line approach, aiming to lead a faction that remains steadfast against pressures for major compromises, especially concerning disarmament.
