Wednesday, August 7, 2024 - Hamas has announced Yahya Sinwar, one of the masterminds behind the deadly attacks on Israel on October 7, as its new overall leader.
Sinwar, who has been the leader of Hamas in Gaza since 2017,
will now also replace Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an explosion in Iran
last week, an act widely attributed to Israel.
"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 Allah have mercy
on him," the movement said in a brief statement.
News of the appointment, came as Israel braces for a likely
attack from Iran following the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran.
"The appointment means that Israel needs to face Sinwar
over a solution to Gaza war," said a regional diplomat familiar with the
talks brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which are aimed at bringing a halt to the
fighting in Gaza and a return of 115 Israeli and foreign hostages still held in
the enclave.
"It is a message of toughness and it is
uncompromising."
Born in Gaza, the 61-year-old Sinwar is a major target for
Israeli forces and is believed to be hiding in tunnels to evade attacks.
Despite this, he has been influencing the group’s stance in the cease-fire
negotiations.''
Sinwar’s new role comes as the Middle East braces for
potential retaliatory strikes from Iran and its allies, including Hamas,
Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, in response to the deaths of
Haniyeh and senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.
Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of the bombing that
killed Haniyeh in Tehran following his attendance at the inauguration of Iran’s
new president. While Israel has not commented on the incident, US officials
have privately assessed that Israel was responsible.
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