He was the man most wanted by Israel: Yahya Sinouar, who took over as leader of Hamas last August, was murdered by a group of Israeli soldiers in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. Discovered by surprise by the Israeli army, he was accused of having been one of the intellectual authors of the October 7 attacks.
Following his disappearance, the question of a new leader arises, the second in less than three months after the elimination of Ismail Haniyeh. Because if the murder of Yahya Sinouar is a serious blow to the Palestinian Islamist movement, “it will only strengthen our movement and our resistance,” Khalil al-Hayya, a Hamas official based in Qatar and potential successor in office, said Friday. .
Hamas “cannot be eliminated,” Bassem Naïm, a member of the movement’s political bureau, told AFP on Friday, stating that it is “a movement led by people seeking freedom and dignity.”
The death of its leader is certainly a “tactical and operational defeat”, but “it will not change the armed resistance against Israel inside Gaza”, adds Andreas Krieg, professor at King’s College London, interviewed by AFP.
But then, who will replace Yahya Sinouar? Several names have already been mentioned and talks must begin between the leaders of the Islamist group.
• Mohammed Sinouar, the younger brother
Among the most serious candidates to succeed Yahya Sinouar is his own brother, Mohammed Sinouar. The latter, who already benefited from the trust of his older brother, is now one of the leaders of Hamas. Considered a radical activist and fighter, he especially directed his military operations.
However, a doubt remains about this candidacy: Is Mohammed Sinouar still alive or was he also killed in an Israeli attack? On Friday, following the announcement of Yahya Sinouar’s death, Israeli media reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were “actively searching for him.”
• Moussa Abou Marzouk, number 2 of Hamas
Another name mentioned to replace Yahya Sinouar at the head of Hamas is that of one of his closest advisors, Moussa Abou Marzouk, deputy head of the political office of the Islamist organization and considered number 2 of the movement. He studied in the United States, before being considered a terrorist by the FBI and expelled from the country.
• Khalil al-Hayya, the truce negotiator
According to the BBC, Hamas leaders are also considering Khalil al-Hayya, Yahya Sinouar’s deputy and the movement’s most senior official outside Gaza, as a future leader. Born in 1960 in Gaza, he was elected the city’s representative in the Palestinian Legislative Council. Considered an excellent negotiator, he participated in talks on a ceasefire in Gaza.
He currently lives in Qatar, manages Hamas’s executive affairs remotely and may “continue to do so,” according to a Gaza political analyst interviewed by the American media ABC News.
• Khaled Meshaal, former political leader of Hamas
Khaled Meshaal, a former Hamas leader exiled in Doha, Qatar, could also seek to succeed Yahya Sinouar. At 68 years old, he is one of the three regional leaders of the Islamist organization and today is in charge of areas outside the Palestinian territories.
Khaled Meshaal had already led Hamas for two terms, until 2017, and is still considered a relatively moderate figure in the movement.
Source: BFM TV
