Hamas Picks Pragmatist al-Hayya as New Leader

Khalil al-Hayya became Hamas leader on July 20, 2026, defeating Khaled Meshaal by a single vote, 35 of 69. The Gaza-born pragmatist, who negotiated with US envoy Witkoff during the October 2025 ceasefire, ends two years without a single leader since Yahya Sinwar's 2024 assassination. His razor-thin margin reveals a movement deeply split at a fragile moment.