The group was due to select a leader within the first ten days of the year, but is now turning its focus to advancing the ceasefire – potentially without disarming – and addressing the factionalism within
January 12, 2026 11:41
Hamas has delayed its next set of leadership elections, which were expected in the coming weeks, amid reports of significant internal divisions within the group’s political echelon.
It was reported last month that the terror group would hold a ballot for the leadership of its political wing, based in Qatar, after several years of government by committee.
The five-person panel was established in August 2024 when Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike, but was briefly subjugated by Yahya Sinwar before he too was killed by the IDF two months later.
Currently, it is made up of former political bureau chair Khaled Mashaal, Khalil al-Hayya, who served as Haniyeh’s deputy, financial boss Zaher Jabarin, and Muhammad Darwish, chair of the Shura council, which regulates the group’s elections, as well as one other, unnamed official.
Al-Hayya is known as a pro-Iran candidate, pushing for Hamas to deepen its ties with the Islamic Republic, which has funded and supplied the group for decades.
On the other hand, his main rival, Mashaal, is believed to favour a pivot away from Tehran and towards better relations with the Gulf states, such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are perceived as more moderate in their relations with Israel.
Another key policy conflict is reported to be over the extent of the IDF's withdrawal from Gaza.
Al-Hayya is said to favour "armed conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip until the war ends and the Israeli army withdraws from the Strip entirely", while Mashall reportedly backs "negotiated compromises to end the occupation of Gaza".
But Saudi outlet Asharq al-Awsat reports that the elections were pushed back as the leadership is currently preoccupied with advancing the Gaza ceasefire into its second phase.
Another source reportedly told the paper that internal divisions, “which have increased in recent days”, also played a role in the decision.
No new date has yet been named for the elections, which were scheduled for the first 10 days of 2026.
The contest will also only decide the leader of Hamas’ political wing, with Izz al-Din al-Haddad, chief of the Gaza-based al-Qassam Brigades, to remain in post. He is believed to favour al-Hayya’s more militant line on Israeli withdrawal.
There have long been reports of tensions between the political and military leadership regarding the extent of compromise with Israel in ceasefire negotiations, and militants in Gaza have reportedly defied orders from their political leaders in repeatedly violating the truce.
As the delay was confirmed, a spokesman for the political leadership announced that it had ordered Hamas agencies in Gaza to prepare to cede their power to the new governance structure, set to be established in Phase Two of the ceasefire.
A new technocratic committee, which will be made up of Palestinian officials affiliated with neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority,
will manage the day-to-day administration of the Strip, overseen by an intermediate executive council, which will itself report to the Board of Peace - a panel of world leaders chaired by Trump himself.
"Based on US President Trump’s statement of his intention to form a Board of Peace for the Gaza Strip, the Hamas movement has issued directives to all government entities and agencies to prepare to hand over all authorities to this independent Palestinian technocratic committee," said Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem
"This decision is clear and final, and there are also instructions to facilitate the success of this Palestinian [technocratic committee’s] work, in line with the higher national interest and in keeping with the plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip."
The development comes after it was reported that the US was willing to move into Phase Two before Hamas had released the body of Ran Gvili, the final hostage, or disarmed.
But Israel has insisted that the terror group must give up its weapons before any permanent peace negotiations or reconstruction can begin.
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