Hamas this week appointed Yahya Sinwar, the group’s top official in Gaza, as the new leader of its political bloc following the assassination last week of political chief Ismail Haniyeh. The assassination is widely believed to have been carried out by Israel and has brought tensions in the Middle East to their highest point since October.
The news of the appointment came as a surprise, considering that Sinwar – unlike Haniyeh, who was based in Qatar and the diplomatic face in the negotiations to secure a ceasefire in Gaza – has been operating from tunnels since October 7, when the group launched an operation during which an estimated 1,139 people were killed and more than 200 were taken captive.
