Hamas appointed Gaza chief and October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar as its new leader on Monday, succeeding the group's former head who was assassinated in Tehran. Sinwar, who has managed to evade the Israeli military for nearly 10 months, was officially named the new Politburo chief after Ismail Haniyeh was killed in a bombing in Tehran last week.
Sinwar succeeds Ismail Haniyeh who was killed in a bombing attack last week. It is still unclear when Sinwar will officially assume his new role and how much control he will have, as he remains in hiding while leading Hamas' forces in the conflict-ridden Gaza, with little information available about his whereabouts.
Sinwar Takes Control of Hamas
Sinwar has been identified as the main planner behind the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 kidnappings. The last known footage of Sinwar was recorded on October 10, showing him running through a Hamas tunnel with his family.
While several Hamas commanders, including the group's military chief Mohammed Deif, have been killed by the Israeli military, there are no clues about Sinwar's current location.
Experts believe Sinwar remains in Gaza, hidden deep within the 300-mile-long tunnel system, which is significant since many of Hamas' previous political leaders operated from exile outside the Palestinian enclave.
Colin Clarke, a counter-terrorism expert at the New York-based Soufan Group, earlier told The New York Post that Sinwar has evaded capture by remaining radio-silent and using Israeli hostages and innocent Palestinians as human shields.
Clarke suggested that Sinwar has managed to survive Israel's hunt by staying out of the spotlight, a strategy that may no longer be feasible if he is to lead Hamas' entire organization.
No More Hiding
As head of the Politburo, Sinwar will coordinate with the terror group's leadership not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank, the diaspora, and those in Israeli prisons. His ascension to power complicates the already stalled cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, as Sinwar has consistently obstructed compromises and encouraged continued fighting.
Before becoming Hamas' top official in Gaza, a young Sinwar earned the nickname "The Butcher of Khan Younis" for his brutal execution of suspected Israeli informants within the terror group's ranks.
Born in a refugee camp in Khan Younis, Sinwar was eventually arrested in 1988 and convicted of killing two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel.
Despite being sentenced to life in prison, Sinwar spent only 23 years in prison and was released in 2011 as part of a deal where over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners were exchanged for captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
Hamas announced Sinwar's rise to the top of its leadership after reports indicated that Mohamed Ismail Darwish, who leads Hamas' Shura Council, would serve as interim leader until the group holds elections next year.
