Hamas says it has chosen Yahya Sinwar, its top official in Gaza, as the new leader of its political bureau.
The selection of Sinwar follows Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran on July 31, the Palestinian group said on Tuesday.
Sinwar, 61, is seen by Israel as the mastermind behind the October 7 attack by Hamas inside Israeli territory, in which more than 1,100 people were killed and more than 200 others taken captive.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, thousands of them women and children, displaced almost its entire 2.3 million population, and caused an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with widespread starvation and health emergencies.
The Israeli assault has also come with reports of systematic rights abuses, such as the torture of Palestinians in captivity.
Sinwar was born in a Gaza refugee camp, south of Khan Younis, and was the former head of the Al-Majd security apparatus, tasked with eliminating Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel. He became the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip in 2017.
Hezbollah welcomed Sinwar’s appointment late on Tuesday, calling it a strong message to Israel and the United States, and showing that Hamas is united in its decision-making.
