Yahya Sinwar Death: Who Will Head Hamas Next? | The Possible Successors

Within a day since the unexpected death of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in an Israeli military operation in Gaza on Thursday, several questions have surfaced regarding the future of the outfit as well as the ongoing war with Israel that immensely intensified the political tension in the Middle East since October 7, 2023.

Amongst a long list of questions and speculations concerning the upcoming times, what stands out as the most crucial one is who will be appointed as the next Hamas chief. The decision is pivotal as the leadership in several ways is expected to set the tone for the future moves. As per reports, the change in leadership can possibly open up avenues for negotiations towards mitigation of the conflict.

On Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed the death of Sinwar in a military operation in Gaza. The confirmation came from Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz where he described Sinwar as the "mastermind behind the massacre and atrocities" of October 7, 2023. Later, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed the development on X.

"This is a significant military and moral achievement for Israel and a victory for the entire free world against the axis of evil of radical Islam led by Iran", Katz said while adding, "The elimination of Sinwar opens the possibility for the immediate release of the hostages and paves the way for a change that will lead to a new reality in Gaza—without Hamas and without Iranian control."

As the whole world is waiting for the announcement of the next Hamas chief, we have listed here some of the leading names who could possibly succeed Sinwar.

Mohammed Sinwar

Mohammed Sinwar, the 49-year-old brother of the deceased Hamas supremo Yahya Sinwar, and a leading commander of the militant outfit, is topping the chart of the possible successors.

Just like Yahya, Mohammed is another top target of Israel as he has been an important figure in the outfit's military operations. Mohammed is known to have survived multiple assassination attempts by Israel.

However, experts are saying that his appointment as the next chief won't bring much change as his style of leadership is quite similar to that of his brother's.

Mahmoud Al-Zahar

Mahmoud Al-Zahar who is known as one of the founding members of the militant outfit, is another frontrunner to succeed Sinwar. Zahar played a crucial role in Hamas's rise to power after the legislative election in 2006. He also served as Palestine's first foreign minister.

Reports suggest that Zahar was a medical practitioner in Gaza and actively engaged in medical charity. As per reports, European Council on Foreign Relations termed him"hawkish" and "socially conservative"

In 1992 and 2003, Zahar survived assassination attempts by Israel.

Khalil Al-Hayya

Khalil-Al Hayya, a member of Hamas' political bureau in Qatar, is another prominent figure. Hyya, who served as Sinwar's deputy, is also known as a key negotiator of ceasefire discussions in Doha.

In April, Hayya asserted that Hamas would turn into a political outfit on condition of a truce for five years and the formation of an independent state of Palestine.

Earlier as well, after the death of Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital Tehran, Hayya was considered as a suitable successor. In 2007, he survived an airstrike in Gaza in 2007, which led to the death of several members of his family.

Mousa Abu Marzouk

Being a senior member of the outfit who played an instrumental role in establishing Hamas after breaking away from the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood in the late 1980s, Mousa Abu Marzouk appears to be another crucial contender.

As per a report by the New York Times, he was charged by Israel in the 1990s for planning and funding terrorist activities. He later went to the US where he rallied support for the Palestinian cause. However, eventually, he had to agree to give up his permanent residency in the US and not challenge the terrorism charges after being in prison for two years in Manhattan jail in the 1990s before he was deported to Jordan.

Khaled Mashal

Khaled Mashal, who spearheaded the outfit between 2006 and 2017, appears to be one of the contenders despite falling out of favour with some key factions. He was the overall leader of political office in 1996 as well.

Mashal, during his tenure as the leader, led some of Hamas's most significant military and political milestones. However, his public opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian civil war strained relations with Iran, Hamas's major backer.