Hamas Holds Internal Ballot for New Political Leader

Hamas has been holding a secret internal ballot to choose its first permanent political leader since the death of Yahya Sinwar. The vote has been underway for several weeks and remains delayed by the effects of the war with Israel. The group is still without a formal announcement of the winner.

One report in Egyptian newspaper Al Manassa indicated that Khalil al-Hayya received 65 percent of the vote, while other reports pointed to Khaled Mashal as the winner.

Three candidates have been named in reports:

Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Mashal, and Zaher Jabarin. All three are currently based in Doha and share the title of acting chairman of the Hamas political bureau. Mashal previously led the group from 1996 to 2017. Al-Hayya is described as a close associate of the late Yahya Sinwar and serves as a chief negotiator. Jabarin leads Hamas operations in the West Bank.

A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in October 2025. Since then, hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, and Israeli forces have advanced beyond the agreed boundary line. Mashal is reported to maintain ties with Turkey and Qatar and to be open to cooperation with the Palestinian Authority.

Al-Hayya is viewed as the de facto leader in Gaza. Experts say the election outcome is unlikely to produce major changes in Hamas governance of Gaza. They also note growing concerns about the group's influence in the West Bank amid internal pressures on the Palestinian Authority.