Hamas has named Khalil al-Hayya as its new general leader

Hamas is going through one of the most difficult periods in its history.

Classified as a terrorist group by Israel, the UK, the US and many other countries, the group has been severely weakened by the Gaza war, during which most of its top military and political leaders were killed, the governing structure collapsed, and large parts of the Palestinian Authority were destroyed.

The leadership contest has exposed a widening strategic divide over the future of Hamas.

Mashal, who previously led the movement in exile for decades, is associated with the traditional leadership of Hamas.

Supporters argue that Hamas should learn from the war, move away from a strategy that focuses primarily on armed struggle, and adopt a more pragmatic political approach while maintaining the movement’s core objectives.

However, Haya’s supporters successfully argued that Gaza’s leadership should shoulder the burden of the conflict and now lead the movement. They want to keep up the pressure to make major concessions, especially on disarmament.

After striking a cease-fire deal with Israel last October, Hamas has refused to hand over its weapons without a political path to guarantee Palestinian self-determination and territorial ownership. The US-led peace board rejected plans that prioritized reconstruction over demilitarization.

Hamas has complained of a lack of security guarantees against continued Israeli attacks and new rival militant groups.

In 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

Israel responded by launching a major military operation in Gaza, during which more than 73,280 people were killed, and 1,158 people have died since the start of the ceasefire, according to the state’s Hamas health ministry.