Palestinian Authority deputy chief Hussein al-Sheikh congratulated Hamas "political" Leader Khalil al-Hayya following his election as head of the organization last week, according to a Hamas statement.
Al-Sheikh wished al-Hayya, 65, success in his new position, Hamas said in the statement cited by the Palestinian Information Center. According to the statement, al-Hayya told al-Sheikh he was committed to serving the Palestinian people, defending "their national principles" And working to protect Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria and elsewhere.
The statement said al-Hayya also stressed the need to work with various Palestinian leaders to achieve unity "in confronting current challenges."
Israel's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the Palestinian Authority was acting "hand-in-hand" With Hamas. "Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh congratulated Khalil al-Hayya on becoming jihadi Hamas's new terror chief," The ministry wrote on X, characterizing al-Hayya as "one of the architects" Of the group's Oct. 7, 2023 operation.
Before Oct. 7, al-Hayya served as deputy to Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar. He maintained close ties with Iran and was among top Hamas officials who met with the regime's now-slain supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Al-Hayya left Gaza before the Oct. 7 operation and has since been based primarily in Qatar, though he also visited Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. He has headed Hamas's negotiating team in ceasefire talks with the United States.
In January 2025, al-Hayya called the Oct. 7 operation "a source of pride for our people... to be passed down from generation to generation."