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 202621 Jul 2026

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