Hamas has named Khalil al-Hayya as its new overall leader. Those close to him describe him as calm and broadly respected, but his consistent refusal to disarm without guarantees of Palestinian statehood threatens to stall US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.
Al-Hayya, 65, takes over a movement still reeling from nearly three years of war with Israel, at the exact moment mediators are trying to push Hamas toward giving up its weapons. His election makes that goal harder, not easier.
