Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Monday named senior member Khalil al-Hayya as head of its political bureau, succeeding Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in October 2024.
A brief statement by the group said al-Hayya had been "elected head of the movement’s political bureau," succeeding Sinwar.
Al-Hayya is one of Hamas’ most prominent figures. He took over leadership of the movement in Gaza in October 2024 after Israel killed Sinwar, and had served as Sinwar's deputy before that.
His profile rose further following a series of Israeli assassinations targeting Hamas' top leadership, including former political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri, making him widely viewed as the leading candidate to head the movement politically and organizationally.
Al-Hayya had previously headed Hamas' Office of Arab and Islamic Relations following the movement's internal elections in 2021.
