Hamas has announced that Yahya Sinwar, its top official in Gaza, has been chosen as the new leader of its political bureau. This selection follows the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, as stated by the Palestinian group on Tuesday.
In a brief statement, Hamas said, “The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas announces the selection of Commander Yahya Sinwar as the head of the political bureau of the movement, succeeding the martyr Commander Ismail Haniyeh, may [God] have mercy on him.”
Yahya Sinwar, 61, is considered by Israel to be the mastermind behind the October 7 attack by Hamas inside Israeli territory, resulting in over 1,100 deaths and more than 200 captives.
In response, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has led to the deaths of nearly 40,000 Palestinians, including many women and children, displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, and triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis marked by widespread starvation and health emergencies. Reports have also emerged of systematic rights abuses, including the torture of Palestinians in captivity.
The assassination of Haniyeh, likely carried out by Israel, shocked the region and was viewed by many as an attempt by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to thwart efforts to negotiate a ceasefire, in which Haniyeh was a key participant. Analysts suggest that Sinwar’s appointment, who has remained largely unseen since the October 7 attack, indicates the central role Gaza plays in Hamas’s political strategy.
