Who is going to be the successor of Yahya Sinwar?

  • International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

Yahya Sinwar, the head of the Palestinian independence armed organization Hamas, was hidden from the public eye for a long time. Yahya Sinwar, 61, spent most of his time hiding inside a tunnel under the Gaza Strip. Last Wednesday, the Israeli army shot him in the head in a building in Rafah, southern Gaza. It is still uncertain who will lead the organization after his death.

In this regard, two Hamas officials told the BBC that discussions to choose a successor to the group's leader, Yahya Sinwar, will begin very soon.

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Sinwar's deputy Khalil al-Haiya could be considered the organization's most senior official and the strongest candidate, officials said.

Al-Haiya is currently based in Qatar. He is leading the Hamas delegation to cease-fire talks with Israel. He has deep knowledge, connections and understanding of the situation in Gaza.

They also said Hamas leaders would hold another rally to elect Sinwar's successor, just two months after the assassination of former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

A senior Hamas official called Sinwar the architect of last year's October 7 attack, saying his appointment was a bold message against Israel.

Many believed Sinwar's leadership was a significant obstacle to any ceasefire agreement, the BBC reported. Therefore, the ceasefire talks have been stalled since last July.

Despite Sinwar's killing, a senior Hamas official reiterated to the BBC that the terms of the movement for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages had not changed.

Hamas continues to demand Israel's full withdrawal from Gaza, an end to hostilities, the transfer of humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of the war-torn region. But Israel rejected the terms and asked Hamas to surrender.

"It is impossible for us to surrender," Hamas officials said.

They said, we are fighting for the freedom of our people. We will not accept surrender. We will fight to the last bullet and the last soldier, just like Sinwar did.

Sinwar's assassination is one of the most significant losses for the organization in decades. Despite the challenge of replacing him, Hamas has a history of losing leadership since the 1990s.

In this context Mohammad Sinwar, brother of Yahya Sinwar emerged as an important figure. He leads the armed group Hamas and is believed to play a key role in shaping the future of the Gaza movement.