Khaled Mashaal appointed interim successor to assassinated Hamas leader

Khaled Mashaal has been appointed as the temporary head of Hamas' political bureau following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.

The Hamas leadership convened in Doha to select an interim successor until official elections for the position can be held, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Mashaal, who has extensive experience and previously served as political bureau chief from 1996 to 2017, emerged as the leading candidate despite significant opposition from within the organization.

Sources familiar with internal Hamas dynamics revealed that Mashaal has been in conflict with Yahya Sinwar and other military leaders in Gaza since 2014. His appointment is expected to shift the decision-making center of Hamas abroad, reducing Sinwar's influence.

Al Arabiya's informed sources confirmed that the group's leaders ultimately agreed to appoint Mashaal as interim head until new elections are conducted. Currently residing in Qatar, Mashaal brings a wealth of regional and international experience, having been elected head of Hamas abroad in 2021.

The assassination of Haniyeh has prompted a leadership contest with three main candidates vying for the permanent position: Khaled Mashaal, Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and Zaher al-Jabarin, the head of Hamas' military wing in Judea and Samaria, who operates from Türkiye and is considered the organization's "financial brain."

Sinwar, who strongly opposes Mashaal's candidacy, prefers Khalil al-Haya for the political bureau head position. Sources indicate that Sinwar believes the role requires someone with strong relations with Iran and Syria, emphasizing the strategic importance of these alliances for Hamas.

As the organization navigates this transitional period, the appointment of Khaled Mashal as interim leader marks a significant development in the ongoing power struggle within Hamas' leadership.