Key takeaways from Khalil al-Hayya’s first speech as Hamas leader

Khalil al-Hayya has assumed leadership of Hamas following his selection by the General Shura Council, succeeding Yahya Sinwar who was killed by Israeli forces in 2024. In his inaugural televised address broadcast on Al-Aqsa TV, al-Hayya outlined the organization's priorities and commitments to the Palestinian people.

Al-Hayya's primary stated objective is achieving a Palestinian state that encompasses Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This aligns with Hamas's official policy position established in a revised policy document from 2017. In his address, he pledged that Hamas would resist attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza and work to alleviate the territory's humanitarian suffering while eventually rebuilding the region.

The new leader specifically addressed Palestinians across different territories, offering greetings to residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. He characterized Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque as central to Palestinian struggle and described the West Bank as a responsibility that Palestinians must protect against what he characterized as Israeli efforts to seize and alter the territory.

Al-Hayya's election came ahead of former political chief Khaled Meshaal in a run-off vote. Between Sinwar's death and al-Hayya's appointment, Hamas was governed by a five-member ruling council of which al-Hayya was a member. His speech emphasized continuity with Hamas's established objectives while calling for an immediate and complete cessation of Israeli military operations in Gaza.