CAIRO: On Tuesday, Hamas announced the appointment of Yahya Sinwar as its Gaza leader, replacing Ismail Haniyeh as the organization’s political chief. According to analysts, the nomination is a step toward continuing the radical course taken since the raid on October 7.
Since the beginning of the most recent conflict, Sinwar has resisted Israeli attempts to have him killed by hiding in Gaza.
Commander Yahya Sinwar has been chosen by the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas to lead the movement’s political bureau, taking over for the martyred commander Ismail Haniyeh. In a brief statement, the movement added, “May Allah have mercy on him.”
The next leader was imprisoned in Israel for half of his adult life.
Fighters in Gaza who are currently battling Israeli troops in the beleaguered region responded to news of the appointment with a barrage of missiles.
After Ismail Haniyeh was killed last week, Sinwar—who had spent half of his adult life in Israeli prisons—was the most influential Hamas commander still alive. Iran threatened severe punishment for the murder, putting the area on the verge of a larger regional conflict.
Although Israel has not taken credit for the murder, it has stated that it assassinated other high ranking officials, such as Mohammed Deif, the movement’s strategist, and Saleh Al Arouri, the deputy leader of Hamas.
The 61-year-old Sinwar, who was raised in a camp for refugees in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, was chosen to command Hamas in Gaza in 2017 after earning a reputation as a “ruthless enforcer” and an unwavering foe of Israel.
Before being imprisoned, he served as the chief of the Al Majd security unit, which hunted down, executed, and punished Palestinians who were thought to have cooperated with Israel’s secret agency.
