The Pro-Iran Faction Won Hamas’s Internal Election
Khalil al-Hayya, the new terror master.
July 29, 2026
Khalil al-Hayya, the new terror master.
On July 20, Hamas announced that, after a close contest requiring at least two rounds of voting, its politburo chose Khalil al-Hayya as the group’s new leader. Al-Hayya, who edged out the former leader Khaled Mashal, will replace the five-man executive committee that took over following the death of Yahya Sinwar in October 2024. Although he resides in Qatar, no effort has been made to arrest al-Hayya, and no public pressure has been brought to bear on Doha to extradite him. Michael Milshtein writes:
Khalil al-Hayya, the new terror master.
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On July 20, Hamas announced that, after a close contest requiring at least two rounds of voting, its politburo chose Khalil al-Hayya as the group’s new leader. Al-Hayya, who edged out the former leader Khaled Mashal, will replace the five-man executive committee that took over following the death of Yahya Sinwar in October 2024. Although he resides in Qatar, no effort has been made to arrest al-Hayya, and no public pressure has been brought to bear on Doha to extradite him. Michael Milshtein writes:
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