Following the deaths of key leaders in recent months, Hamas is preparing for an internal election to fill its top leadership post. The group, considered a terrorist association by Israel, the United States, and the European Union [[1]],is navigating a period of transition amid ongoing conflict and geopolitical pressure. With a vote expected in early January, the selection of a new political bureau chief will likely signal the direction of the Palestinian militant group as it continues to operate in Gaza and the West Bank [[1]],[[3]].
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(Istanbul) – Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, has begun the process of selecting a new leader after a prolonged period without one. The move comes as the organization navigates a complex geopolitical landscape and ongoing conflict with Israel.
According to reports from Arab media outlet Asharq Al-Awsat on December 29, Hamas has decided to elect a new head of its political bureau in early January and is currently making preparations for the vote.
The vacancy follows the death of Yahya Sinwar, the previous political bureau chief, who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in October of last year. Sinwar’s predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in July of the same year during a visit to Iran, reportedly in a targeted Israeli airstrike.
Sources within Hamas have identified Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Meshaal as leading contenders for the position. Both men survived an Israeli raid on Hamas’s political bureau office in Doha, Qatar, in September.
Al-Hayya, believed to be closely aligned with Iran, currently serves as Hamas’s chief in Gaza and led the group’s delegation in ceasefire negotiations. He reportedly maintains a hardline stance, insisting that Hamas will continue armed struggle until Israeli forces fully withdraw from Gaza.
Meshaal, who previously served as the political bureau chief until 2017, is considered closer to Qatar. He is understood to favor a more moderate approach, advocating for negotiations to end Israel’s occupation of Gaza.
Asharq Al-Awsat reports that, given support from Hamas’s West Bank organization, led by Zaher Jabarin, al-Hayya is considered the frontrunner in the election.
In a separate development on December 29, Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, officially confirmed the death of its spokesperson, “Abu Obeida,” who was killed in an Israeli attack in August.
Hudaifa Samir Abdullah al-Qalouq, known by the alias Abu Obeida, had been the face of the Al-Qassam Brigades for two decades, often appearing in videos wearing a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh mask.
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A new spokesperson, also wearing a keffiyeh to conceal his face, announced his succession, stating that he would carry on the name “Abu Obeida.”
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