The killing of the head of the political office of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, which occurred on Wednesday 16 October in Rafah, opens up a series of questions about potential successors. The pan-Arab broadcaster «Al Arabiya» highlights that Sinwar «was one of the hawks of the movement and his departure has left a void that will not be easy to fill». Sinwar’s killing, continues «Al Arabiya», «has also raised many questions about the future of the movement as a whole and also about the fate of the war, since he was considered the strongest man in Hamas and an influential figure on the movement’s policies over the last decade and had forged relations with Iran and Hezbollah.” Precisely the links with the Lebanese Shiite militias and with the Iranian Pasdaran had caused internal disputes within Hamas. Killed “by chance” in a firefight in Gaza, Sinwar, considered together with Muhammad Deif to be the mastermind of the terrorist attack of 7 October 2023 in Israel, had probably abandoned the safest tunnels to plan his escape towards Egypt .
«Al Arabiya» lists five potential successors. Among the most important names is that of his deputy in the political office, Khalil al Hayya, who currently leads the delegation for the internationally mediated negotiations to reach a ceasefire with Israel, and also manages the official meetings of the international movement ‘abroad. The name of Khaled Meshaal also stands out, who currently holds the position of head of the movement abroad and has built a network of regional relations. He also previously headed the movement’s political office from 1996 to 2017, and the Israelis tried to kill him in Jordan. Musa Abu Marzouk is also considered a likely name to succeed Sinwar, especially since he was the first to serve as head of Hamas’ political bureau from 1992 to 1996, and also the person closest to the former head of Hamas. political office, Ismail Haniyeh, killed in Tehran on 31 July. Finally, Zaher Jabareen, head of Hamas in the West Bank, could take over the leadership of the movement, as could Muhammad Ismail Darwish, head of the movement’s Shura Council and with strong relations with Iran.
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