WorldNew Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya sets out priorities in first statement

Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s newly elected political bureau chief, has issued his first public statement since taking over the group’s leadership. He said Hamas would focus on restoring what he called a dignified life for Palestinians in Gaza and speeding up reconstruction. Hayya rejected conditions that would tie rebuilding Gaza to political concessions or agreements. He said Gaza would remain part of a Palestinian entity and pledged to keep pursuing goals involving Gaza and the occupied West…