Who will succeed Yahya Sinwar as the new Hamas chief? These are the possible candidates

Palestinian militant outfit Hamas was dealt a major blow on Wednesday after its chief Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israel in a gunfight. What makes Sinwar's death particularly bad for the militia is the fact that he was the second Hamas chief to be killed in three months.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Won't be easy to find Sinwar's successor

Sinwar took over as the chief of Hamas only in July 2024, after his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated by Israel in Tehran.

This has left Hamas with no choice but to appoint a new leader, and that too as soon as possible, since the war is still ongoing in Gaza.

But it will not be an easy task for Hamas as, in the past year since the October 7 terror attack, Israel has eliminated several key figures, leaving a clear leadership vacuum.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Hamas leaders killed since October 2023

This includes Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy chair of Hamas¡¯s guiding council and founding member, who was killed in Beirut in January, Marwan Issa, deputy commander of Hamas' military wing, who was killed in March, and Mohammed Deif, Hamas's top military commander who was eliminated in August.

Hamas, which is yet to officially acknowledge the death of Sinwar, is likely to pick his successor from the following individuals:

Mohammed Sinwar

Mohammed Sinwar is one of the most likely choices to be the next chief of Hamas, as he is the brother of Yahya Sinwar. Mohammed Sinwar is 49 years old and has been a part of Hamas for a very long time, though he has maintained a low profile.

Mahmoud al-Zahar

Mahmoud al-Zahar, one of Hamas's founding members, is also considered a frontrunner to succeed Sinwar. Al-Zahar, who is in his late 70s, is an influential figure within Hamas.

Khalil Al Hayya

Khalil Al Hayya, who became the face of Hamas in the peace talks earlier this year, could also be considered to succeed Sinwar. Al-Hayya is a member of Hamas¡¯s political bureau and is based in Qatar. Given his international exposure, he could emerge as a strong contender if Hamas is likely to pursue a path to de-escalate the hostilities.

Khaled Meshaal

The name of Khaled Meshaal, another high-ranking Hamas official based in Qatar has also emerged as one of the possible successors of Sinwar. Earlier this year, following the assassination of Haniyeh, many had expected him to be made the next leader of Hamas.

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