The terrorist group Hamas announced the appointment of Khalil al-Hayya as the new head of its political bureau, becoming the first leader to formally hold this position since Israel eliminated Yahya Sinwar in October 2024.
The designation reflects the profound impact that Israeli operations have had on the leadership of the organization. In the past year, Israel eliminated several of its top leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh—who died in Iran in July 2024—and Sinwar himself, considered the main responsible for the massacre on October 7.
Al-Hayya, one of the historical leaders of Hamas, left the Gaza Strip several years ago and settled in Qatar, from where he became the main liaison of the group with governments and organizations in the Arab and Islamic world. During the war, he was also the main negotiator for Hamas in discussions about hostages and ceasefires.
The new political leader of Hamas, Khalil Al-Hayya
His growing influence coincided with the elimination of other high-ranking officials of the organization in Israeli operations, consolidating him as one of the most important figures in Hamas's political structure.
Al-Hayya has publicly defended the attack on October 7, 2023, the largest terrorist massacre suffered by Israel since its creation, in which about 1,200 people were killed and another 251 were kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
According to statements circulated by media linked to Hamas, he claimed that the initial intention was to capture only "a number of soldiers" to use them as bargaining chips for Palestinian prisoners, although he stated that the plan changed because, in his words, "the unity of the Zionist army completely collapsed."
The leader has also claimed the attack for having managed, in his opinion, to bring the Palestinian cause back to the center of the international agenda.
His appointment confirms the continuity of Hamas's leadership from exile and places one of the main architects of its diplomatic and political strategy during the war at the forefront of the organization.
For Israel, Al-Hayya represents another of the top officials of an organization considered terrorist by the United States, the European Union, and numerous other countries.
