Hamas Names Yahya Sinwar as New Political Chief

On Tuesday, Hamas named Yahya Sinwar, the group’s leader in Gaza, to head the political bureau after the Israeli killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Before he was killed last week, Haniyeh served as the highest-level Hamas official outside of Gaza and was the public face of the group as it was engaged in hostage deal negotiations with Israel, although Hamas officials said Sinwar was ultimately in charge of the talks.

Sinwar has been Hamas’s leader in Gaza since 2017, and Israel attempted to assassinate him when he was re-elected in 2021. Sinwar is believed to be hiding deep inside the expansive tunnel system under the Gaza Strip since he is the top target for the Israeli military.

Sinwar and the head of Hamas’s military wing, Mohammed Deif, are said to be the masterminds behind the October 7 attack on southern Israel. Israel claims it killed Deif in a recent airstrike on a tent camp in Gaza, which killed at least 90 Palestinians, but his death hasn’t been confirmed by Hamas.

Hamas officials said the decision to appoint Sinwar as the head of the political bureau was made unanimously. “The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas announces the selection of Commander Yahya Sinwar as the head of the political bureau of the movement, succeeding the martyr Commander Ismail Haniyeh, may Allah have mercy on him,” Hamas said in a statement.

The Israeli killing of Haniyeh suspended the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas. In the weeks leading up to the assassination, it was widely acknowledged by Israeli officials that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was doing everything he could to sabotage the chances of a hostage and ceasefire deal.