On Monday, the Hamas movement announced the election of the prominent leader and head of its negotiating team, Khalil al-Hayya, as head of the movement’s political bureau, succeeding Yahya al-Sinwar, who was killed during the war in the Gaza Strip.
The movement said, in a statement, that it had elected Al-Hayya as head of the political bureau, thus ending the transitional phase during which a five-member leadership council, headed by Muhammad Darwish, took over the management of the movement’s affairs following the killing of Sinwar.
Al-Hayya is considered one of the most prominent leaders of Hamas. During the past period, he led the movement’s delegation in the ceasefire negotiations and the exchange of prisoners. He also served as the movement’s head in the Gaza Strip.
Al-Hayya’s election came after the completion of the electoral process within the movement’s institutions, which took place amid strict security measures, in light of the continuing war, and secret voting mechanisms were adopted to avoid any targeting of the leaders.
The Hamas General Shura Council includes 69 members representing the areas of Gaza, the West Bank, and abroad, while the movement’s internal regulations stipulate the election of a head of the political bureau to lead the movement in the next stage.
