Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who plotted an October 2023 attack on Israel and eluded capture for more than a year, was killed by Israeli forces in southern Gaza yesterday. Sinwar, 61, spent two decades in Israeli prisons before returning to Gaza and emerging as its top leader.
As one of the main architects of the October 7 surprise attack on Israel, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and brought more than 250 hostages to Gaza, Sinwar was a key Israeli target. Israel had offered a $400,000 reward for information leading to his capture or death. Despite numerous Israeli airstrikes targeting the Hamas leadership, Sinwar managed to remain underground for months in the maze of tunnels beneath Gaza.
Watch Drone footage of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar’s final moments released by Israel
Sinwar’s death has now created a power vacuum in Hamas, raising questions about who will step in to fill the void during this critical phase of the Gaza war. Several high-ranking Hamas figures, with a long history of militant campaigns and political maneuvering, are potential successors.
Here’s a look at the figures who could lead Hamas:
Mahmoud Al-Zahar
Mahmoud al-Zahar, one of Hamas’ founding members, is the frontrunner to succeed Sinwar. Known for his radical stances, even by Hamas standards, al-Zahar played a key role in shaping the group’s ideological framework, focusing on both militant resistance against Israel and Islamic rule in Gaza. Is concentrated. Al-Zahar also played a key role in the group’s rise to power following the 2006 Palestinian legislative election and served as its first foreign minister.
Reading Hezbollah will increase war with Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar
Despite surviving several Israeli assassination attempts in 1992 and again in 2003, al-Zahar remains a key figure in Hamas’s political structure.
Mohammad Sinwar
Another possible successor is Yahya Sinwar’s brother, Mohammad Sinwar. Like his brother, Mohammed has been a longtime leader within Hamas’s military wing, and his rise to leadership may signal continuity in the group’s strategies. According to reports, Mohammed shares Yahya’s radical outlook, and US officials have expressed concern that his leadership will make peace talks even more challenging.
While Mohammed has maintained a low profile, he has been a key figure in the group’s military operations, surviving several assassination attempts by Israel.
Moussa Abu Marzouk
Moussa Abu Marzouq, a senior member of Hamas’ political bureau, is another possible contender. He helped establish Hamas after breaking away from the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood in the late 1980s. Abu Marzouq once headed Hamas’s political bureau and has long been involved in its organizational and financial functions, including support of terrorist activities.
Reading Netanyahu said killing of Yahya Sinwar is “the beginning of the end” of the Gaza war
Despite being jailed in the United States for involvement in terrorist activities in the 1990s, Abu Marzouq was exiled to Jordan and remains an influential figure within the group’s political apparatus. Although he has spent most of his time in exile, his experience and connection to Hamas’ core ideology make him a strong candidate to assume political leadership.
Mohammad Deef
Mohammed Deif, the elusive commander of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, is often rumored to be dead or seriously injured after Israeli airstrikes. However, recent reports from August 2024 suggest that he may still be alive. Deif, who is credited with masterminding many of Hamas’s most sophisticated operations, including the October 7 attack, is seen as a “radical” figure.
Deif’s survival is shrouded in mystery, and if he resurfaces, his military credentials could make him a powerful leader.
Khalil Al-Hayya
Khalil al-Hayya is a key figure within Hamas’ political bureau, currently based in Qatar, and has played a key role in ceasefire negotiations in previous conflicts. Al-Haya’s leadership could be seen as a viable option for the group, especially if Hamas wants to negotiate an end to the current war in Gaza. His participation in the 2014 ceasefire talks with Israel demonstrated his ability to engage in high-level talks, and his leadership may offer a greater diplomatic path for Hamas.
Al-Haya survived an Israeli airstrike in 2007 that killed members of his family. His political skills, combined with his connections with international mediators, particularly in Doha, make him a person with whom both Israel and Hamas can work in ceasefire talks.
Khalid Mashal
Khaled Mashal, who led Hamas for more than a decade from 2006 to 2017, remains a respected figure within the group, although he has fallen out of favor with some key factions. During his leadership, Mashal oversaw 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 main supporter.
Now based in Qatar, the torch may still have an impact.