Two Hamas officials told the BBC that discussions to choose a successor to group leader Yahya Sinwar, whose death was confirmed on Thursday, would begin very soon.
Khalil al-Hayya, Sinwar’s deputy and the group’s highest-ranking official outside Gaza, is considered a strong candidate, officials said.
Al-Hayya, who is based in Qatar, is currently leading the Hamas delegation in ceasefire negotiations between the group and Israel, and has deep knowledge, connections and understanding of the situation in Gaza.
Hamas leaders will convene again to choose a successor to Sinwar, once Israel’s most wanted man, just two months after the murder of former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
A senior Hamas official described Sinwar as the perpetrator of the October 7 attack, stressing that his appointment was intended as a bold message of defiance against Israel.
Since July, ceasefire negotiations have stalled and many believe Sinwar’s leadership is a significant obstacle to any ceasefire agreement.
Despite Sinwar’s killing, a senior Hamas official reiterated to the BBC that the movement’s conditions for accepting the ceasefire and releasing Israeli hostages remained unchanged.
Hamas continues to demand Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, an end to hostilities, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the reconstruction of the war-torn territory – conditions that Israel has firmly rejected, insisting that 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: “We cannot surrender.
“We are fighting for the freedom of our people and we will not accept surrender. We will fight until the last bullet and the last soldier, just like Sinwar did.”
Sinwar’s assassination was one of the heaviest losses for the organization in decades. However, despite the challenges of replacing him, Hamas has a history of losing leadership since the 1990s.
While Israel has succeeded in killing most of the leaders and founders of Hamas, the movement has proven resilient in finding new ones.
Amid this crisis, questions remain regarding the fate of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and who will be responsible for their safety and protection.
In this context, Mohammed Sinwar, brother of Yahya Sinwar, emerged as a key figure. He is believed to be leading Hamas’s remaining armed groups and could play a key role in shaping the movement’s future in Gaza.
As Hamas passes this critical juncture, the war in Gaza continues.
Dozens of people were killed at the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Saturday as the Israeli military stepped up attacks against what Israel said were a regrouping effort by Hamas.
