Hamas Makes Sinwar Political Chief, Undercuts Cease-Fire Hopes

Hamas has selected Yahya Sinwar, Israel’s top target and the mastermind behind the militant group’s Oct. 7 assault, as its political leader, the latest blow to multilateral efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement in Gaza.

The group’s overall leader succeeds former political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in a strike on Iran’s capital. Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union, and Iran have blamed Israel for the killing. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied that.

Choosing Sinwar, who lives in hiding in Gaza, sends a message of defiance to Israel, the US and countries in the region seeking to broker a cease-fire. Haniyeh was central to negotiations mediated by Qatar. Israel responded sharply.

“There is only reserved place for Yahya Sinwar, which is next to Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa,” who Israeli forces killed for their involvement in Oct. 7 attacks that have ignited a war in the Gaza Strip, Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-speaking spokesman for Israel’s army, commented on X.

Sinwar previously led Hamas’s political bureau in 2017, six years after he was released from an Israeli jail during a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and the militant group. He later focused on reinforcing the group’s military capabilities in preparation for wider conflict with the Jewish state.

The surprising selection of Sinwar was a message to Israel, said Mkhaimar Abusada, political science professor at Gaza’s Al-Azhar University. “It’s meant to challenge Israel, and Hamas is saying ‘if you killed the somewhat moderate Haniyeh, here is more of a hardliner and extremist on top of the group.’” 

Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said “Sinwar and the Hamas terror surge of Oct. 7 is now the face of Hamas.”

“His selection reaffirms what we’ve known for months now - Sinwar controls Hamas,” said Miller, a former US State Department Middle East negotiator. “It also lays to rest any illusions anyone might have had about its moderate or radical wings. Elevation is an endorsement of his policies.”

With assistance from Peter Martin.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.