What does Khalil al-Hayya’s election win mean for Gaza?

Khalil al-Hayya has been elected as the new head of Hamas, ending nearly two years of the movement being without a leader.

After the assassination of former chief Yahya Sinwar in October 2024, Hamas has been managed by a five-member leadership council, of which al-Hayya was a member.
His main competitor for this week’s leadership challenge was Khaled Meshaal, the former head of the political bureau. Al-Hayya beat Meshaal by just a single vote, winning 35 of the 69 votes cast.

His election potentially gives the US one leader within the movement to deal with, experts say.

Al-Hayya, widely viewed as a pragmatist, was reportedly involved in direct negotiations on Gaza with US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff last October.

Despite his apparent links to Iran, his election win and the rapport he established with Witkoff during the talks could enable more US-led negotiations on Gaza’s future

“He’s seen as a very organic part of the Iranian-styled Axis of Resistance, but he’s equally comfortable pursuing negotiations and diplomatic paths. For instance, my understanding is that Witkoff was very keen on negotiating with al-Hayya directly,” said Muhammad Shehada, a visiting fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and a Gazan researcher, writer and human rights advocate.

“He also known inside Hamas as the ’father of four martyrs,’ referring to the two sons who were killed before October 7, one who was killed during the Israeli strikes on Doha, while discussing Witkoff’s proposal [in September 2025], and one who was killed afterwards.”
Their deaths carry a connection to Witkoff, whose son died at the age of 22 in 2011, Shehada said.

Witkoff acknowledged the bond during a 60 Minutes interview with CBS News, where the envoy said he offered his condolences to Al-Hayya.

“We expressed our condolences to him for the loss of his son. He mentioned it, and I told him that I had lost a son and that we were both members of a really bad club: parents who have buried children,” he said.