Yahya Sinwar, 61, Appointed New Hamas Political Wing Chief

Yahya Sinwar, 61, Appointed New Hamas Political Wing Chief
Yahya Sinwar, 61, Appointed New Hamas Political Wing Chief
Yahya Sinwar, 61, Appointed New Hamas Political Wing Chief

Gaza City, Palestine, 06 August 2024

Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Tuesday appointed Commander Yahya Sinwar, 61, as head of the political wing ‘succeeding the martyr Commander Ismail Haniyeh, may [God] have mercy on him’, the group said in a brief statement.

Sinwar has been chosen after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Head of the Political Wing on Wednesday, 31st July’s early morning in Tehran. Shaheed Haniyeh attended the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday of Iran’s new president Masoud Pezeshkian.

Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of assassinating Haniyeh, but Tel Aviv has not denied or confirmed its responsibility. However, Israel’s involvement is confirmed from the immediate reaction on the newly appointment of Yahya Sinwar. Foreign Minister Israel Katz calls to “swiftly eliminate” Yahya Sinwar, who was appointed by Hamas as the terror group’s new political leader replacing Ismail Haniyeh who was killed in Tehran last week, The Times of Israel reported.

Tel Aviv has been accusing Sinwar as mastermind of October 7 attack,  is Israel’s most-wanted Hamas leader, with Tel Aviv accusing him of masterminding the Oct. 7 attack, which prompted Israel to launch a devastating military campaign in the Gaza Strip that killed around 40,000 Palestinians including children, elderly, women, patients since Oct. 7, 2023 as per the local health authorities. Israeli brutal and barbaric attacks has turned major part of Gaza into ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

Sinwar was born in a Gaza refugee camp, south of Khan Younis, and was the former head of the Al-Majd security apparatus, tasked with eliminating Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel. He was appointed as Hamas leader for Gaza Strip in 2017.

Sinwar is one of several Hamas and Israeli leaders for whom the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought an arrest warrant over allegations of war crimes committed on October 7, including Netanyahu and Israeli defence chief Yoay Gallant, on alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Al Jazeera senior political analyst Marwan Bishara on newly appointment of Sinwar said that ‘and of the fact that Hamas is not about to lose Gaza, that Hamas is going to remain a power within Gaza, and hence it’s leader is there’.

Dr Ibrahim Hamami, a Palestinian Researcher commenting on newly appointment of Commander Yahya Sinwar as Hamas Political Wing Chief has said that Hamas announced tonight its “selection” of Yahya Sinwar as the head of its political bureau, succeeding the late Ismail Haniyeh, with unanimous agreement…

The choice comes less than a week after Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran, and the announcement was surprising, especially since many names were circulating in recent days as potential candidates for the position…
Sinwar is neither the most senior nor the oldest in rank, so why was he chosen?
Any observer of the rapidly evolving events and situations can not miss several important messages that can be read in this selection:
– The quick and unanimous choice is a message that demonstrates Hamas’ vitality and its ability to communicate in the most difficult circumstances and across all fields.
– It is also a message about the internal unity of the movement.
– With this choice, Hamas has prioritized its military approach over its political approach.
– It is a challenge to the occupation and a reaffirmation of standing behind its fighters in the field.
– By choosing Sinwar, Hamas has relieved any host country of its leader from international pressures and threats.
– It has also relatively relieved itself from the additional security arrangements for its bureau chief, as it has been proven that the tunnels of Gaza are safer than the capitals of the region, whether Beirut, Damascus, or Tehran.
– It also reflects a loss of confidence in the international legal system and its stance of either impotence or biased conspiracy.
– Additionally, there is a sense of bitterness and disillusionment with Arab betrayal, alongside a closer alignment with Iran, which Sinwar is enthusiastic about strengthening relations with.
– This move also undermines the International Criminal Court, which attempts to equate the victim with the perpetrator; if it decides to issue arrest warrants for the movement’s leader, then Gaza and its tunnels are in front of them, without embarrassing any state that might host the movement’s leader.
– As for the negotiations for a ceasefire deal, the most important and clear message now is that the decision-making lies in Gaza and on the ground. Communicate and negotiate there.
Do you remember Jakar Street—2015 in Gaza—this choice is no less of a challenge and provocation to the war criminal Netanyahu and his fascist government, who hate no one in this world as much as they hate Sinwar.
And if this is Hamas’ only message, it’s enough!
/ Current Affairs

About the Author

M Ashraf Siddiqui

Editor and publisher Ashraf Siddiqui is a well known Qatar based journalist and a social worker. He has been in Arabian Gulf Peninsula over 4 decades and enjoys rich knowledge on Middle East affairs

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