Hamas Names Yahya Sinhwar as New Leader Following Haniyeh’s Killing

Hamas has named its Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar as successor to former political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran last week.

“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 [God] have mercy on him,” the group said in a brief statement as reported by Al Jazeera.

Israel has publicly accused Sinwar of being the “mastermind” behind Hamas’ terror attack against Israel on October 7 – though some experts say he is likely one of several – making him one of the key targets of its war in Gaza.

News of the appointment, which came as Israel braces for a response to the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, was greeted with a salvo of rockets from Gaza from the bands of militants still fighting Israeli troops in the besieged enclave.