For months, veteran Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya spearheaded the group's indirect ceasefire negotiations with arch-foe Israel in an effort to halt the war in Gaza.
On Monday, the Palestinian Islamist movement named him as its new chief, favouring him over longtime leader Khaled Meshaal.
"Khalil al-Hayya was elected by an overwhelming majority," a senior Hamas official told AFP, adding that he is expected to formally assume the role next week.
"The election process was conducted through a highly complex and secretive mechanism because of the difficult security situation and the occupation's assassination of several political and military leaders," another source in Hamas said.
A former official from the Muslim Brotherhood and one of the founders of Hamas, Hayya is viewed as a moderate, and will replace slain leader Yahya Sinwar.
