Newly named Hamas leader al-Hayya faces pressure to cede power amid Gaza’s fragile ceasefire.
He was a member of a five-man council that led Hamas for almost two years.
Now, Khalil al-Hayya has been appointed to head the Palestinian group, which he joined when it was founded four decades ago.
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He’s survived a number of Israeli assassination attempts and been detained many times.
More recently, he led Palestinian delegations in negotiations to end Israel’s war on Gaza.
Al-Hayya takes control as Hamas comes under increasing pressure to cede power – and as more than two million Palestinians are still enduring near-daily Israeli attacks, despite a formal ceasefire.
So, how will Hamas’s new leader navigate the realities on the ground?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Ibrahim Fraihat – Professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies
Muhammad Shehada – Senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations
Max Rodenbeck – Israel/Palestine Project Director at the International Crisis Group
Published On 21 Jul 2026