Hamas leadership run-off expected between Meshaal and al-Hayya

Hamas is set to hold a run-off election next week to select its new political bureau chief, a critical step in filling leadership vacancies following Israeli assassinations of top figures like Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar. The contest is between former political leader Khaled Meshaal and former deputy chairman Khalil al-Hayya. The winner will serve until 2027, replacing the transitional council formed after Sinwar's death. According to a Hamas source, "a candidate must secure an absolute majority of 50 percent plus one of the votes within the Shura Council" to win outright. This election, despite ongoing war challenges, adheres to Hamas's internal rules, demonstrating the group's institutional resilience. The new leader will face managing post-war reconstruction and relations with other Palestinian factions.