Hamas shifts to Doha-based ruling committee following chief Sinwar’s death

Two Hamas sources have indicated that the Palestinian resistance group is shifting toward appointing a Doha-based ruling committee rather than selecting a single successor to its chief, Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli troops last week.

According to a well-informed source from the group, “The Hamas leadership’s approach is not to appoint a successor to the late chief, the martyr Yahya Sinwar, until their next elections,” scheduled for March, “if conditions permit.”

A five-member committee, formed in August following the assassination of political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, will take over the leadership of the group. This committee was established to facilitate decision-making, given the difficulty of communicating with Sinwar in Gaza prior to his death.

Sinwar had been named the Gaza chief of the group in 2017 and rose to become the overall leader of Hamas after Haniyeh’s assassination in July.

The committee comprises representatives from the two Palestinian territories and the diaspora, including Khalil al-Hayya for Gaza, Zaher Jabarin for the West Bank, and Khaled Meshaal for Palestinians abroad. It also includes the head of Hamas’ Shura advisory council, Mohammed Darwish, and the secretary of the political bureau, whose identity is kept confidential for security reasons. All current committee members are based in Qatar.

The source noted that the committee is tasked with governing the movement during the war and exceptional circumstances, as well as shaping its future plans. The committee is also authorized to make strategic decisions.

Another source from the group mentioned that Hamas leadership discussed a proposal to appoint a political chief without publicly announcing their name. However, the leaders ultimately preferred to govern through the committee.

Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in southern Gaza on Wednesday, marking a significant moment in the ongoing conflict that began with Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7.