Hamas names Khalil al-Hayya as the group's new chief

Hamas on Monday named senior political leader Khalil al-Hayya as its new leader, elevating one of the group's most experienced figures to its top post, Reuters reported. A longtime member of Hamas's political leadership, al-Hayya has played a key role in ceasefire negotiations with Israel and in managing the group's ties with regional allies, particularly Iran. Born in the Gaza Strip in 1960, al-Hayya joined the Muslim Brotherhood in the early 1980s before becoming a founding member of Hamas when the group was established in 1987. Over the decades, he rose through the organisation's ranks and worked closely with former leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar. Al-Hayya has been central to Hamas's diplomatic efforts, helping broker ceasefire talks with Israel, including negotiations that ended the 2014 Gaza conflict and subsequent attempts to halt the ongoing war. Considered to have close ties with Iran, a key backer of Hamas, he has also served as the group's main representative to the Arab and Islamic world.