Hamas does not have a designated substitute for their current leader, Sinwar.
It appears that Hamas, the militant Islamic group, is currently in a state of transition following the demise of its leader, Yahya Sinwar. As of now, the organization has not chosen a replacement for Sinwar, who was killed in a violent confrontation with Israeli troops. Hamas has dismissed accusations that Sinwar opted to hide in underground shelters for his safety.
The group has chosen to postpone the appointment of a new leader until the anticipated elections in March, according to reliable sources within Hamas. In the meantime, a temporary leadership team comprising five individuals is managing the organization. This team, currently based in Qatar, was established in August following the death of previous Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The group has the authority to make critical decisions and is made up of Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas' representative in the Gaza Strip, Sari Nusseibeh, the representative of the radical Islamic Palestinian organization in the West Bank, Khaled Mashal, Hamas' international representative, and Mohammed Darwich, chairman of the Hamas Shura Council. The fifth member's identity remains confidential for security reasons.
IDF: Closely Monitored
Sinwar's demise occurred during an Israeli military operation on a Wednesday. According to Israeli reports, Sinwar had taken shelter with his family inside an intricate underground tunnel network since the IDF's attack on May 7, 2021. The Israeli military forces had encircled Sinwar numerous times during the conflict, but he managed to elude them each time, Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari reported. The search for him continued both above and below ground, with the goal of isolating him until he made a mistake. Eventually, his whereabouts in Rafah were uncovered after traces of his DNA were discovered on a used tissue he had employed to clear his nose, Hagari stated.
Hamas branded Hagari's statements as a series of blatant falsehoods, asserting that Sinwar had died as a martyr during a valiant fight and the protection of civilians held a higher priority for him than his own survival. "Commander Yahya Sinwar died a hero's death after bravely participating in the battle and spearheading the greatest conflict in the history of our Palestinian people," a Hamas statement read. Sinwar had been noticeably absent from public appearances since the unparalleled hostilities against Israel over the past year. He is widely recognized as the architect behind the massacre.
The Israeli military forces had been closely monitoring Sinwar's movements within the underground tunnel network since he took shelter there following the IDF's attack on May 7, 2021. The statement from Hamas strongly refuted the Israeli military spokesperson's claims, stating that Sinwar died as a martyr during a heroic fight and prioritized the protection of civilians over his own survival.
