Hamas Elects Khalil al-Hayya as Political Bureau Chief

Hamas officially elected Khalil al-Hayya as head of the terrorist group's political bureau, replacing the five-member council that had run it since Israel killed Yahya Sinwar in October 2024. Al-Hayya, Hamas's de facto Gaza leader and chief negotiator, defeated former bureau chief Khaled Mashaal after votes were counted from Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and members abroad. He was a close associate of Sinwar and maintains strong ties with Iran's axis. The election keeps Hamas's political center of gravity in Gaza as the group reorganizes under continued Israeli pressure.