Hamas Prepares for Runoff Election Between Khaled Mashal and Khalil al-Hayya for Political Bureau Head

Hamas is preparing for a second round of voting next week to select its new head of the political bureau after no candidate secured the required majority in the initial round. The runoff will be between former leader Khaled Mashal and former deputy leader Khalil al-Hayya. A Hamas official confirmed to Qatar's Al Jazeera that the internal elections reached a deadlock because neither Mashal nor al-Hayya managed to obtain the absolute majority needed under the movement's rules, which require 50% plus one vote from the members of the Shura Council. Consequently, the organization decided to hold a decisive runoff vote next week to determine the new leader.