Hamas has appointed Khalil al-Hayyan as the organization's new general leader. The news was announced on Monday, through an official statement from the Palestinian group.
Al-Hayya takes over the leadership of Hamas after Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in 2024 during fighting with the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip.
Known as Hamas's exiled leader for Gaza and one of the organization's top negotiators, al-Hayya has long been considered an influential figure in the group's leadership. His role was particularly strengthened after the assassination of Yahya Sinwar and former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran in July 2024.
According to Reuters, citing Israeli officials, Khalil al-Hayya was also one of the senior Hamas leaders targeted in an Israeli attack in Doha in 2025.
