Hamas is expected to elect a new leader this ‍month, two sources in the group told Reuters, filling the role left vacant since Israel killed Yahya Sinwar in 2024 despite concerns that a successor could suffer the same fate.Khalil al-Hayya ‍and Khaled Meshaal are seen as frontrunners for the helm at a vital moment for the militant group, battered by two years of war ignited by its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and facing international demands to disarm.For the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, visit our dedicated page.Both men reside in Qatar and sit on a five-man council that has run Hamas since Israel killed Sinwar, a mastermind of the October 7 attack. His predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated by Israel while on a visit to Iran in 2024.The election process has already begun, the sources ⁠said. The leader is chosen in a secret ballot by Hamas’ Shura Council, a 50-member body that includes Hamas members in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and