Hamas chief pledges Gaza rebuilding and prisoner releases in first address
Khalil al-Hayya’s first speech as Hamas leader focused on Gaza, detainees, Palestinian unity and pressure on Israel over a ceasefire.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Khalil al-Hayya used his first televised address as Hamas’s political leader to promise work on rebuilding Gaza, freeing Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and keeping Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem tied to one national project. Al Jazeera reported that the speech, broadcast Wednesday on Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV, was his first major public statement since his selection this week.
Al-Hayya was chosen Monday by Hamas’s General Shura Council to lead the group’s political bureau after a run-off with former political chief Khaled Meshaal, according to Al Jazeera. He succeeds Yahya Sinwar, who Al Jazeera said was killed by the Israeli army in Gaza in 2024; between Sinwar’s death and al-Hayya’s appointment, Hamas was led by a five-member council that included al-Hayya.
Speaking with Palestinian and Hamas flags behind him, al-Hayya called for a full and immediate halt to Israeli military action in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported. He also thanked Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye for mediation efforts aimed at stopping the war, while the report noted that he did not mention the United States.
Focus on Palestinian unity
Al-Hayya said Hamas would continue to pursue a Palestinian state made up of Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to Al Jazeera. The broadcaster said that position has been Hamas’s stated aim since a revised policy document issued in 2017.
In the address, al-Hayya directed remarks to Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank, describing Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque as central to the Palestinian cause, Al Jazeera reported. He also said the West Bank remained a responsibility for Palestinians as Israel seeks to seize and “Judaise” it, according to the report.
Promises on Gaza
Al-Hayya placed Gaza’s living conditions near the top of his agenda, Al Jazeera reported. He said Palestinians there had endured severe hardship, including displacement into tents and makeshift shelters, and pledged that Hamas would work to reduce suffering and restore normal life.
According to Al Jazeera, al-Hayya said Palestinians in Gaza would not be forced out and argued that reconstruction was a right rather than a concession to be traded for political positions. He said Hamas would work “in every way and direction” to relieve pain in Gaza and help bring back the city as Palestinians remembered it, the report said.
Prisoners and ceasefire pressure
Al-Hayya also vowed to seek the release of Palestinian political prisoners held by Israel, Al Jazeera reported. He framed that pledge within a broader tribute to Palestinian resistance across generations, including Palestinians in the territories, refugee camps and the diaspora.
On regional diplomacy, al-Hayya said the Middle East would not be stable unless Palestinians were treated fairly, according to Al Jazeera. He told the international community that justice would fail if Gaza’s population was not protected, the report said.
Al-Hayya urged countries involved in negotiations to apply real pressure on Israel to carry out a US-backed ceasefire agreed in October 2025, according to Al Jazeera. The broadcaster reported that he accused Israel of largely ignoring the deal and said Palestinians could still reach their goals with sustained work and support from people abroad who back Gaza.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.