Gaza- Hamas named Gaza Strip chief Yahya Sinwar as its new political leader on Tuesday, a week after his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh’s killing in Tehran which has sent regional tensions soaring.
“The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas announces the selection of leader Yahya Sinwar as the head of the political bureau of the movement,” a statement from the group said.
Since 2017, Sinwar has been the chief of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Along with Mohammed Deif, the military chief of Hamas who was assassinated by Israel last month, Sinwar is considered to be a master strategist with close ties to Iran like late Haniyeh. Israel accuses him of being the principal architect of the October 7 attack that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
61 years old Sinwar has a long history of conflict, having spent 23 years in Israeli prisons before being released in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange.
Like Haniyeh, Sinwar was also born in a refugee camp in Gaza after his family was expelled by Israel.
Many analysts believe Sinwar was chosen for his close ties to Iran. His close contender for the top post was Khaled Meshaal but he fell from the grace for backing Syrian opposition during the civil war thus ending the decade long Hamas presence in Damascus which has been main Arab backer of the Palestinian cause.
Sinwar, who is on top of the Israeli hit list, is widely believed to be running Hamas’ war from tunnels under Gaza.
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