1 of 3 | Hamas has named Yahya Sinwar, the Palestinian militant group’s local leader in Gaza and one of the alleged planners of the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel, to take over as its new political leader following last week’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. File Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI. | License Photo
Hamas announced Tuesday it has chosen Yahya Sinwar, the Palestinian militant group’s local leader in Gaza and one of the alleged planners of the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel, to take over as its new political leader following last week’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.
Sinwar was elected to lead the terrorist organization via secret ballot by Hamas’ 50-member council in Gaza, the West Bank and abroad. Advertisement
“The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas announces the selection of Commander Yahya Sinwar as the head of the political bureau of the movement, succeeding martyr Commander Ismail Haniyeh, may Allah have mercy on him,” the group said in a statement.
Since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed more than 1,200 people, with 250 others taken hostage, Sinwar has remained out of sight with reports he has been hiding in tunnels in the Gaza Strip. U.S. officials believe Sinwar could be surrounded by hostages, who are being used as human shields. The U.S. State Department designated Sinwar as a global terrorist in 2015. He has also been sanctioned by the United Kingdom and France. Advertisement
Sinwar, who has reportedly spent half of his adult life in Israeli prisons, is reported to have directed Hamas’ war strategy with Israel over the last 10 months, and is believed to be involved in talks with Israel for a cease-fire and hostage-prisoner exchange.
Haniyeh was assassinated Wednesday in Tehran, where he was scheduled to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Masoud Pezeshkian as Iran’s new president. Haniyeh was killed by a missile launched from another country.
While Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s assassination, it has claimed responsibility for the strike last month that killed Hamas’ military chief Mohammed Deif and last week’s strike that killed Fouad Shukr, Hezbollah senior military commander and founding member of the Iran-backed group.
On Sunday, Israel prepared for the possibility of attack by Iran in the wake of the assassinations, as Hamas leaders convened a council to discuss the militia’s future and its new leader.
“The assassination of the mujahid brother Ismail Haniyeh will only increase the strength of the Hamas movement and the Palestinian resistance to continue its path and approach,” the militia said. “His pure blood will ignite the fire of resistance and escalate it.”
Following Tuesday’s announcement of Sinwar as Hamas’ new leader, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari issued a statement to the Saudi network Al Arabiya. Advertisement
“There’s only one place we are designating for Yahya Sinwar, and that’s right next to Mohammed Deif and all the other terrorists who are responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks,” said Hagari. “It’s the only place we are preparing and designating for him.”
