Hamas has named Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks on Israel, as its new leader following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, likely by an Israeli strike, while he was attending a political event. Sinwar’s election by Hamas’ council reinforces the group’s radical stance and its commitment to ongoing conflict with Israel.
Sinwar, who has previously been imprisoned in Israel and was designated as a worldwide terrorist by the United States, has been hiding since the October 7 assaults. He is thought to use hostages as human shields to evade capture. The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has chosen Commander Yahya Sinwar to lead the movement’s political bureau, following the martyr Commander Ismail Haniyeh, may Allah have mercy on him, according to a brief statement.
The appointment means that Israel will have to face Sinwar over a solution to the Gaza war,” said a regional official aware with the talks facilitated by Egypt and Qatar, which are meant at putting an end to the fighting in Gaza and returning the 115 Israeli and international hostages still held in the territory.
Sinwar is widely acknowledged as the mastermind of the lethal October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli casualties and the seizure of roughly 250 captives. This attack was one of the bloodiest escalations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in recent years, leading to widespread international condemnation and calls for accountability. Khaled Kaddoumi, Hamas’ envoy in Iran, praised Sinwar as a “consensus choice,” citing his popularity across all Hamas factions and substantial involvement in decision-making processes, including negotiations. Despite his violent past, Kaddoumi pointed out that Sinwar is also aware of Palestinian political goals.
The international world, particularly Israel, has responded harshly to Sinwar’s appointment. The Israeli government has accused him of war crimes and is determined to make him accountable for the October 7 assaults. Furthermore, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for both Sinwar and Israeli commanders on counts of war crimes, highlighting the complexity and disputed nature of the ongoing conflict.
