The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has declared its new leader in the aftermath of Ismail Haniyeh’s martyrdom.
Following the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has announced its new leader. According to Reuters, Hamas issued a brief statement revealing that Commander Yahya Sinwar has been chosen as the head of the movement’s Political Bureau.
The statement also noted that Commander Ismail Haniyeh, who has been martyred, will be succeeded by Sinwar, with the organization seeking divine protection for Haniyeh.
In line with Hamas’s organizational structure, the new leader was selected by a council comprising fifty members, including members of the Political Bureau.
Who is Yahya Sinwar?
Yahya Sinwar is the current leader of Hamas in Gaza, a position he has held since 2017. Before his leadership, he spent over 20 years in prison, where he learned Hebrew and studied Israeli media to gain a deeper understanding of his adversary. Sinwar’s time in prison reportedly allowed him to develop expertise in psychological warfare.
He has been associated with Hamas since its early days and was close to the organization’s co-founders, Ahmed Yassin and Mahmoud al-Zahar. According to reports, Sinwar was granted a fatwa by Yassin to target individuals suspected of collaborating with Israel.
After his release from prison, Sinwar led Hamas’s internal security branch, the Majd Force, which focuses on identifying and eliminating suspected Israeli informants. There have been reports of him overseeing harsh punishments, including an incident where a suspected informant was forced to bury his brother alive.
At 62, Sinwar is considered one of the younger leaders of Hamas and is part of the organization’s top leadership in Gaza. He is credited with being the strategic mastermind behind recent operations, including the October 7 incursion.
