Hamas has appointed Khalil al-Hayya as its overall leader, replacing Yahya Sinwar, who was killed during fighting with Israeli forces in October 2024, the Palestinian group announced on Monday.
Al-Hayya, the group's former Gaza chief and chief negotiator, has emerged as one of Hamas's most influential leaders following the deaths of Sinwar and former political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in 2024.
Based in Doha, al-Hayya has played a central role in ceasefire negotiations and is widely regarded as one of the movement's senior decision-makers.
His appointment comes as Hamas faces growing international pressure to disarm following nearly two years of war in Gaza, which has devastated the enclave and displaced much of its population.
According to Reuters, Palestinian political analyst Reham Owda said al-Hayya's selection signalled Hamas's commitment to maintaining its armed wing and rejecting calls for disarmament.
"This indicates that negotiations related to disarmament are likely to face significant difficulties and obstacles," Owda told Reuters.
Meanwhile, violence continued in Gaza despite an October ceasefire. Palestinian medics said Israeli strikes killed at least six people on Monday, including three in Khan Younis and three others at a shelter inside a hospital in Jabalia. Most of those wounded in the latter strike were reported to be children.
The Israeli military said it had targeted a militant in Khan Younis but did not immediately comment on the reported hospital strike.
The leadership change follows a prolonged internal election process involving Hamas representatives from Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Israeli prisons and members living in exile.
Efforts by mediators, including Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye, to secure a broader agreement to end the Gaza conflict have yet to produce a breakthrough.
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