GAZA, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced on Monday the election of Khalil al-Hayya as head of its political bureau to succeed the late leader Yahya Sinwar.
In a brief statement, Hamas confirmed the election but did not provide details on the process.
The vote followed a series of Israeli operations that killed Hamas leaders, including Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, creating a leadership vacuum within the movement.
According to a Hamas source, the election was conducted in stages across the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the movement's branches abroad under exceptional circumstances, with members of the movement's Shura Council, comprising around 50 representatives from different regions, participating.
The elections came after an initial round in mid-May failed to yield a decisive result, prompting a second vote. The move is part of Hamas's efforts to reorganize its leadership and shape its post-war strategy. ■
