Hamas to elect first leader since Sinwar killed by Israel, sources say

Hamas is expected to elect a new leader this month, two sources in the group told Reuters, filling the role left vacant since Israel killed Yahya Sinwar in 2024 despite concerns that a successor could suffer the same fate, Report informs via Reuters.

Khalil Al-Hayya and Khaled Meshaal are seen as frontrunners for the helm at a vital moment for the militant Islamist group, battered by two years of war ignited by its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and facing international demands to disarm.

Both men reside in Qatar and sit on a five-man council that has run Hamas since Israel killed Sinwar, a mastermind of the October 7 attack. His predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated by Israel while on a visit to Iran in 2024.

The election process has already begun, the sources said. The leader is chosen in a secret ballot by Hamas' Shoura Council, a 50-member body that includes Hamas members in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and exile.

A Hamas spokesperson declined to comment.

The sources said a deputy leader will also be elected to replace Saleh Al-Arouri, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon in 2024.

Sources close to Hamas said it was determined to conclude the vote, though some preferred an extension of collective leadership.