Hamas’s new leader faces challenge of bridging movement divided over Iran

Khalil al-Hayya, former deputy of Yahya Sinwar in Gaza and a member of the five-person council that has led Hamas since Sinwar’s killing in October 2024, has been elected as the movement’s new head. He defeated former political bureau chief Khaled Meshaal by a vote of 35-34, highlighting divisions within the organization.

Founded in December 1987 as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza, Hamas originally had a simpler leadership structure. Israeli repression forced a shift of leadership to the diaspora. In the 1990s, Mousa Abu Marzouk and later Khaled Meshaal led from abroad, creating a more complex structure with three constituencies: Gaza, the West Bank, and the diaspora. This led to bureaucracy and internal conflicts.

Relations with Iran have been a major point of contention. During Meshaal’s era, Hamas maintained independence while accepting Iranian aid. The Arab Spring, however, tested this relationship when Hamas refused to side with Syria’s government against the revolution, leading Iran to reduce support. Tehran began directing funds only to pro-Iran factions, weakening Meshaal’s camp.

Al-Hayya’s narrow victory indicates that the pro-Iran current has strengthened, but the movement remains deeply split. His main challenge will be to heal the rift, restore unity, and preserve Hamas’s political independence.