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July 21, 2026

Khalil al-Hayya, Who Survived Israeli Assassination Attempts, Selected as New Hamas Leader
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In more news from Gaza, Hamas has selected Khalil al-Hayya as its new
leader, filling a role left vacant for nearly two years after Israel
assassinated its former head, Yahya Sinwar, in October of 2024. Al-Hayya
was part of negotiations with President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner
and special envoy Steve Witkoff last October. Before that, he survived
an Israeli airstrike on a residential complex in Qatar's capital Doha
last September. That attack killed one of al-Hayya's sons.


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