Two Hamas officials told the BBC that talks on choosing a successor for the group’s leader Yahya Sinwar, whose killing was confirmed on Thursday, would begin very soon.
The officials said Khalil al-Hayya, Sinwar’s deputy and the group’s highest-ranking official outside Gaza, is considered a strong candidate.
Based in Qatar, Al-Hayya is currently leading the Hamas delegation in ceasefire talks between the group and Israel, and has deep knowledge, connection and understanding of the situation in Gaza.
Hamas leaders will meet again to choose a successor to Sinwar, Israel’s most wanted man, just two months after the assassination of former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
A senior Hamas official had described Sinwar as the architect of the October 7 attacks, stressing that his appointment was intended as a bold message of defiance against Israel.
Ceasefire negotiations have been stalled since July, and many believe Sinwar’s leadership posed a significant obstacle to a ceasefire agreement.
Despite Sinwar’s killing, a senior Hamas official reiterated to the BBC that the movement’s conditions for accepting a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages have not changed.
Hamas continues to demand a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an end to hostilities, the transfer of humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of the war-torn area – conditions that Israel has categorically rejected and insists Hamas must surrender.
When asked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for Hamas to give up its weapons and surrender, movement officials responded: “It is impossible for us to surrender.
“We are fighting for the freedom of our people, and we will not accept surrender. We will fight to the last bullet and the last soldier, just like Sinwar did.”
Sinwar’s murder was one of the biggest losses for the organization in decades. However, despite the challenges associated with his replacement, Hamas has a history of persistent leadership losses since the 1990s.
Although Israel has managed to assassinate most of Hamas’s leaders and founders, the movement has proven resilient in its ability to find new leaders.
Amid this crisis, questions remain about the fate of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and who will be responsible for their safety and protection.
In this context, Mohammed Sinwar, Yahya Sinwar’s brother, has emerged as a central figure. He is believed to lead Hamas’s remaining armed groups and may play a crucial role in shaping the movement’s future in Gaza.
While Hamas moves into this critical moment, the war in Gaza continues.
Dozens of people were killed Saturday in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza as Israeli forces stepped up attacks against what Israel says is Hamas’s attempt to regroup.
