In the past week, top leaders of Hamas gathered in Qatar to choose a new political leader, following the killing of their previous leader, Ismail Haniyeh.
Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, allegedly by Israel, after overseeing crucial negotiations with Israel and balancing the group’s militant and political strategies.
His sudden death created an urgent need for a new leader, which led Hamas to meet in Doha for two days of intense discussions.
At a mourning ceremony for Haniyeh, held in a large, decorated tent in Doha, hundreds of people paid their respects. Among the crowd was Abu Omar Hassan, a key figure in Hamas known for handling big missions.
As the head of Hamas’s Supreme Shura Council, he was in a prime position to lead temporarily until scheduled elections.
However, after careful deliberation, the group chose Yahya Sinwar as the new leader. Sinwar, already the leader of Hamas in Gaza since 2017, is closely connected to the group’s armed wing and is believed by Israel to have planned the October 7 attack on southern Israel.
Despite some opposition within Hamas, Sinwar’s popularity in the Arab and Islamic worlds and his connections with Iran’s “axis of resistance” made him the final choice.
The BBC reports that Sinwar’s selection signals a more extreme phase for Hamas, with many Arab and Western officials expressing concern over his involvement in the October 7 attacks.
While there have been efforts to negotiate a ceasefire, including mediation attempts by Qatar and Egypt, the situation remains tense, and the conflict shows no signs of ending soon.
Sinwar, now a highly targeted figure, is set to lead Hamas for the next five years, if he survives the ongoing war. His appointment reflects the group’s defiance against Israel and commitment to its militant stance .
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyl3yg7wzzo