Hamas names Yahya Sinwar as new political chief after Ismail Haniyeh’s killing

Hamas announced on Tuesday that Yahya Sinwar has been appointed as the new head of its political bureau, after the killing of former chief Ismail Haniyeh in an Israeli attack in Tehran on July 31.

Before taking on this role, Yahya Sinwar was the leader of Hamas in Gaza, and Israel holds him responsible for the October 7 attacks in the Palestinian enclave, which resulted in the deaths of 1,100 people and the taking of over 200 hostages.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Sinwar and other Palestinian leaders, alongside Israeli prime ministers and the defense minister on May 20.

According to Al Jazeera, Yahya Sinwar has not been publicly seen since October 7, and his appointment as Hamas's leader is seen as a message to Israel that the resistance in Gaza is far from over.

Born in 1962 in a refugee camp in Khan Younis, Sinwar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arabic. He joined Hamas during the first Intifada and was tasked with eliminating Palestinians collaborating with Israel. He eventually rose to lead Hamas in Gaza in 2017.

Yahya Sinwar is considered the most powerful leader in Hamas after the death of Haniyeh. The Palestinian group firmly stated that any ceasefire deal would involve Sinwar.

Israeli officials have frequently called for targeting Sinwar, with Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi stating on May 4 that Sinwar "is living on borrowed time."

However, the new Hamas chief has continued to evade the Israeli occupation army since October 7.

A Hamas member, speaking to AFP about Sinwar’s selection, described him as an intelligent security strategist who "makes decisions in the utmost calm, but is intractable when it comes to defending the interests of Hamas."

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continue to target Palestinian civilians, bringing the death toll in Gaza since the October 7 attacks to at least 39,653, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.