Hamas Appoints Hardliner Sinwar as New Leader Following Haniyeh’s Death

Yehiya Sinwar, the elusive leader of Gaza faction of Hamas, will replace the deceased Ismail Haniyeh as head of the political bureau, the group said. Sinwar, known for his hardline stance and long history of evading Israeli capture, consolidates his position as Hamas’s paramount leader after the beginning of the conflict on October 7, 2023.

Haniyeh, who was based in Qatar and considered a more moderate figure, was killed in Tehran last week in an attack Hamas attributed to Israel. Israel has not commented on the assassination but confirmed responsibility to US officials, as per media reports.

Sinwar’s rise to the top political position poses a significant challenge for ongoing ceasefire talks. While Haniyeh had been a key negotiator, Sinwar’s more militant approach and his current stance in hiding raise questions about his ability to fulfill diplomatic duties.

“This only underscores the fact that it is really on him to decide whether to move forward with a cease-fire,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari, in an interview with Al Arabiya TV, declared that Sinwar “has only one place, and it is beside Mohammed Deif and the rest of the Oct. 7 terrorists.” Deif, head of Hamas’s armed wing, was reportedly killed in an Israeli attack last month.

Hamas, in a statement, expressed confidence in Sinwar’s leadership, while praising Haniyeh’s “wise and open leadership.”

Both Haniyeh and Sinwar embodied the two intertwined aspects of Hamas: a Palestinian nationalist political party and a militant Islamist movement committed to Israel’s destruction. Both men grew up in Gaza’s refugee camps and have been accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court for their roles in the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

Following the attacks, which claimed over 1,200 lives and led to the capture of 253 hostages, Israel vowed to eradicate Hamas as a military and governing force in Gaza. The subsequent Israeli offensive has devastated the enclave, resulting in the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.