‘We just want to live’: Palestinians in Gaza react to Hamas election

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported from Gaza City on July 21, 2026, that Palestinians in Gaza are responding unevenly to the election of Khalil al-Hayya as Hamas’s new leader. Al-Hayya won an internal contest against former political leader Khaled Meshaal this week, but the report found that many residents see the leadership change as remote from their daily struggle to survive Israel’s war, displacement and severe shortages.

Several people interviewed by Al Jazeera said immediate needs outweighed political developments. Noman Saleh, 63, whose factory was destroyed, blamed Palestinian factions broadly and said a new Hamas chief would not change the hardship facing ordinary people unless leadership addressed hunger, humiliation and basic living conditions. Ali Abu Amshi, 28, who said he lost 22 relatives and was displaced from Gaza City, said people wanted crossings reopened, food, water and a normal life more than another debate over who governs.

Other voices saw political significance in the choice. A Gaza City social media writer identified only as Ahmed said al-Hayya takes over at a critical moment for Hamas and may represent an effort to preserve internal cohesion. Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Haniyeh told Al Jazeera the election signals continuity in Hamas’s political direction, while also viewing it in the context of possible future Palestinian political processes.

The report also noted wider uncertainty over Gaza’s governance. Hamas has said it will dissolve its government and transfer authority to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a UN-backed technocratic body linked to a US-mediated ceasefire plan. Al Jazeera said Israel has not allowed the committee into Gaza, leaving it based temporarily in Cairo. Gaza analyst Mustafa Ibrahim described a broader crisis of trust, saying many Palestinians judge leaders by whether they can end the war and improve daily life.