Gazans respond to the killing of Hamas leaders
Ex‑political prisoner and activists say people are frustrated with Hamas’s leadership after Israel’s killing of senior commanders, with many civilians bearing the price of the war.
Khalil al‑Hayya, a long‑time Hamas negotiator who has survived several alleged Israeli assassination attempts, has been elected to lead the group’s political bureau. The appointment follows a secret internal election that spanned several months, according to Middle East Institute senior fellow Jaser AbuMousa, who said the choice signals continuity rather than a strategic shift.
“Al‑Hayya is Hamas’s chief negotiator and its ultimate institutional survivor,” AbuMousa told Fox News Digital. “You will see continued engagement at the negotiating table, ceasefire talks, prisoner exchanges, but do not mistake that for moderation.”
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Al‑Hayya, Hamas’s longtime chief negotiator in indirect ceasefire and hostage talks with Israel, will now lead its political bureau. (Louai Beshara/AFP via Getty Images)
“Al‑Hayya’s victory is best understood as an act of institutional self‑preservation,” AbuMousa warned. “A battered organization reached for the most familiar hand available. His elevation signals that Hamas, after the devastation of Gaza and the losses since Oct. 7, 2023, has prioritized organizational cohesion, armed continuity, and preserving its Iranian ties over a genuine political reassessment.”
Several of Al‑Hayya’s family members, including four sons, have been killed in Israeli operations, according to reports. In September 2025 Israel reportedly attempted to eliminate him in Qatar, striking a building where the Hamas delegation was staying.
“The top job is essentially a death sentence, which is why the post sat vacant for nearly two years after Yahya Sinwar was killed,” the analyst noted.
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Analysts say Al‑Hayya’s elevation signals that Hamas, after the destruction of Gaza and the losses since Oct. 7, 2023, has prioritized organizational cohesion, armed continuity, and the preservation of its Iranian relationship. (Iranian Leader Press Office / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Al‑Hayya survived the Israeli strike in Doha last September. For an ordinary executive that would be disqualifying, but inside Hamas surviving an assassination is a credential,” AbuMousa observed.
“He will lead like his predecessors: rarely in public, moving between Doha and mediating capitals, communicating through statements rather than appearances, with command decentralized so no single strike decapitates the movement,” he added. “An organization that rewards those who have suffered most, rather than those who have led best, has no mechanism to correct course after a catastrophe. That should make anyone nervous.”
“Al‑Hayya lost his four sons, a profound personal loss, but that sacrifice also functions as political capital in Hamas,” the expert noted. “His grief is genuine, and it lifts him above criticism.”
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Al‑Hayya replaced Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli forces in late 2024. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
While Sinwar’s death left the position vacant, Al‑Hayya’s rise followed a covert election that lasted months. “After the near‑total destruction of Gaza and staggering losses since Oct. 7, Hamas chose continuity over reassessment,” AbuMousa said. “It elevated a loyal survivor tied to Iran and the military wing rather than someone offering a different path.”
“The real story is that Hamas decided its safest bet was to remain exactly what it was: armed, aligned with Tehran, and unwilling to reckon with where its own decisions led Gaza,” he said.
He cautioned that the leadership vote was not a mandate from Gazans. “This was a closed vote by a leadership council, not an election by the roughly two million Gazans whose lives Hamas claims to represent and who haven’t voted since 2006. Many blame Hamas for exposing them to this catastrophe,” he noted.
He added, “Watch the likely governance model: a Hezbollah‑style arrangement where Hamas sheds visible responsibility while keeping its weapons, security structures, and a veto over any political deal.”
Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture.
