Who is Yahya Sinwar? Reactions to Hamas' New Leader from Home and Abroad

Sinwar was born on October 19, 1962, in the Khan Yunis refugee camp and originally hails from the town of Majdal in occupied Palestine. The successor to Ismail Haniyeh married after his release from Israeli prisons in 2012 and has two sons and a daughter. Sinwar attended schools in the Jenin camp until he completed his secondary education in one of the region's schools. He also enrolled at the Islamic University of Gaza and obtained a bachelor's degree in Arabic language. He was active in the university's student council for five years and served as the secretary of the cultural and mathematics committee and its deputy. He then became the council's president and was later elected as its vice president again.

On May 15, 2021, the Israeli regime targeted Yahya Sinwar's house in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip in an attempted assassination. Hebrew media outlets were certain that the assassination had been successful and that the Israeli army had eliminated the Hamas field commander. However, after a few days, Yahya Al-Sinwar appeared at the site and posed for a photo on the couch in his home, which was then publicized. This act infuriated various Israeli circles at the time, and Sinwar challenged the Israeli army and intelligence with this photo.

Yahya Ibrahim Sinwar's record includes leading Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He was the founder of Hamas' security service, "Majd" (a security apparatus focused on internal security cases).

Yahya Sinwar was arrested by Israeli forces in 1988 and sentenced to four life terms, but he was released in 2011 in a prisoner exchange deal that saw 1,027 Palestinian prisoners freed in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an imprisoned Israeli soldier held by Hamas. Many Israeli observers and analysts believe that releasing Yahya Sinwar was the biggest mistake the Israeli regime made against its interests.

An interesting fact about Yahya Sinwar is that he is said to know Israeli society well. This understanding is believed to have influenced Hamas' approach, especially in the media and propaganda arena against the Israeli regime.

The security apparatus under Sinwar's management gradually gained significant power, allowing it to gain considerable oversight over the Israeli regime's movements and spies as a counterintelligence organization. It even identified and dealt with individuals within Hamas who were spying for Israel. Sinwar's power and influence were the reasons the Israelis arrested him early on, leading him to spend 23 years of his life in Israeli prisons.

Israeli analysts point out that his election in 2017 as the head of Hamas' political bureau in Gaza indicates that Hamas has given considerable priority to the perspective of individuals like Sinwar, who poses a dangerous threat to Israel.


Unanimously elected

Osama Hamdan, a Hamas official, spoke to Al Jazeera about the process of choosing the movement's new leader and the reactions it garnered. He said, "Yahya Sinwar's election to this post was unanimous, with no opposition."

He continued, "This shows that Hamas is aware of the nature of the arena, and the negotiations are managed by the leadership. Sinwar has always been present on the ground. Our swift election of Sinwar demonstrates Hamas' dynamism. The team that handled the negotiations under Haniyeh's leadership will continue to do so under Sinwar's guidance."

Hamdan emphasized, "Sinwar's precise knowledge of the occupiers can strengthen our positions in the next stage of negotiations."

He asserted that Hamas' message is clear: they have chosen a leader who has been entrusted with jihad and struggle in the field of battle in Gaza for over 300 days.


A decisive message to the enemy

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement congratulated Yahya Sinwar on his election as the successor to the martyr Ismail Haniyeh and the new head of Hamas' political bureau. They emphasized that the successful internal consultations among the brothers in the Hamas movement and the swift filling of the vacuum created by the martyrdom of Haniyeh, despite the ongoing war, sends a decisive message to the Zionist enemy that Hamas remains strong and cohesive. They asserted that the enemy's genocide in Gaza has failed to weaken Hamas' framework and structure.

The movement wished Sinwar and Hamas' leaders success in achieving the Palestinian nation's goals of liberation, return, and expulsion of the occupiers.


A systematic election

"Jihad Taha," a Hamas spokesperson, stated that Sinwar's election was not a hasty decision but rather the result of internal consultations based on organizational frameworks.

Taha added that choosing Yahya Sinwar is a political response to the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh and a message to the enemy that the movement has entered a new phase of resistance.

He said that Hamas has continued to develop and expand since the martyrdom of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the movement's founder, and the assassinations of Abdel Aziz Rantisi, Sheikh Salah Shehadeh, and other founding leaders who laid the groundwork for the new phase of resistance. Despite significant challenges, they have contributed to shaping the movement's path.

 
A strong message to US

Hezbollah in Lebanon also reacted to Sinwar's election, stating that this choice, made from the besieged Gaza Strip, emphasizes the failure of the Zionist enemy's objectives in assassinating resistance leaders.

Hezbollah considers this election a strong and decisive message to the Zionist enemy, the United States, and their allies, indicating Hamas' complete unity and resolve in its commitment to its fundamental choices


Standing behind the leadership

The Muslim Brotherhood congratulated Sinwar on his election and emphasized their support, reiterating their firm and unwavering stance in defending the rights of the Palestinian people to liberate their land from the stain of occupation.

The group also stressed that, in this sensitive stage, it is imperative to stand behind the leadership and maintain unity and cohesion.


Sinwar, best successor to martyr Ismail Haniyeh

The al-Nujaba Movement in Iraq congratulated "Yahya al-Sinwar" on his election as the head of Hamas' political bureau, stating that he is the best replacement for the late Ismail Haniyeh, who was an excellent leader.

In a statement, al-Nujaba emphasized that Sinwar's long history of struggle and jihad is more than enough qualification for his appointment to this great jihadist position, and he will surely continue on the path of jihad and resistance.

The movement also affirmed that it will continue its endless support, backing, and cooperation with the resistance in Gaza.


Global media reactions

Commitment to the fight against Israel

The New York Times emphasized that Sinwar's election as the head of Hamas indicates that the leaders of the Palestinian movement remain committed to their decision to fight Israel, even after ten months of war.


Bolstering the resistance group

The Wall Street Journal, an American newspaper, wrote that Yahya Sinwar's election as the leader of Hamas strengthens the movement's position as an armed resistance group against Israel.

 
Israeli reaction to Sinwar's appointment

A mistake in Haniyeh's assassination

As expected, the Israelis are furious about Sinwar's election. An Israeli officer tweeted, "We made a mistake by assassinating Haniyeh, leading to Sinwar becoming the head of Hamas."

Israel's Foreign Minister, Yisrael Katz, claimed, "The appointment of Sinwar as Hamas' leader is another reason to eliminate him and wipe out the group's memory from the earth."


The Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that Sinwar's election is a maneuver by Hamas.

Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli military, claimed that Israel's only preparation and goal regarding Sinwar is to make him meet the same fate as Mohammed Deif, the top military commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Yoni Ben Menachem, an Israeli analyst, added that Sinwar's election is tantamount to an Iranian victory.

Israel's Channel Kan reported that Sinwar's appointment demonstrates Hamas' continued strength in Gaza.

The Israeli network added that Sinwar's designation is an unexpected move and a message to Israel that he is alive and that Hamas leaders in Gaza are powerful and steadfast.

 
Reactions from Iranian experts on Sinwar's election

The election of Yahya Sinwar as the new leader of Hamas has also received positive reactions within Iran.

Sinwar closer to Tehran than Haniyeh

In this regard, Mohsen Milani, a university professor, analyzed the election of Yahya Sinwar as the successor to martyr Haniyeh, writing, "Hamas has chosen Yahya al-Sinwar as Haniyeh's successor and the head of its political bureau. Sinwar is even closer to Tehran than Haniyeh, as it was he who reconciled Tehran and Hamas during the early stages of the Syrian civil war when Hamas did not side with Assad against Tehran."


A smart choice

An Iranian diplomat described the election of "Yahya Sinwar" as the successor to the martyr Ismail Haniyeh and the new head of Hamas' political bureau as a smart move.

Hossein Jaberi Ansari wrote: "The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, has announced that Yahya Sinwar has been chosen as the successor to the martyr Ismail Haniyeh and the new head of its political bureau. The election of Commander Yahya Sinwar, the legendary leader of Gaza's resistance and the architect of Palestine's October 7 epic, sends a precise and important message to Israel: if you cannot tolerate Ismail Haniyeh, based in Doha and leading political efforts and ceasefire negotiations, then may Commander Yahya Sinwar, the hero of October 7, be your blessing. A very smart and apt choice."

He continued, "Naturally, someone outside Palestine has also been or will be chosen as the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau to be the voice of resistance and Hamas beyond Palestine's borders. The martyr Ismail Haniyeh and the Palestinian resistance live on as long as the Palestinian nation lives."


Sinwar's election signals Hamas' strategic shift towards resistance

Mehdi Azizi, a West Asia expert, commented on the election of Yahya Sinwar as the head of Hamas' political bureau in the Gaza Strip, noting that it signifies a strategic shift in Hamas' military and political stance towards resistance. Azizi highlighted Sinwar's background as a founder of Hamas' military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and his 24 years spent in Israeli prisons before being released in a prisoner exchange in 2011. He stated that under Sinwar's leadership, Hamas' strategy will focus on a full return to resistance.

Regarding the reasons behind Sinwar's election, Azizi explained that the Palestinian society has been discontent with some of Hamas' policies and seeks change. The choice of Yahya Sinwar, a founder of Hamas' military brigades with a history of resistance, reflects that desire.

The West Asia expert emphasized that Hamas' misguided policies in recent years regarding issues in the Islamic world, such as Syria, had distanced the movement from resistance and slightly reduced the security and military costs for the Zionist regime.

Azizi added that Hamas' influence in certain regional and international matters had created a security buffer for the Israeli regime, but Sinwar's election signals a shift towards intensifying armed resistance in Palestine, as evident by the positive reception among a large segment of Palestinian society. The negative reaction from Zionist media further underscores the prominence of Sinwar's resistance credentials.

Azizi noted that Sinwar's election indicates a change in Hamas' approach, representing the Palestinian people's demand for a shift in the movement's strategy and a continuation and escalation of armed resistance against the Zionist regime. This could potentially restore Palestine's priority status in the global arena, moving it from the sidelines back to the forefront.

It is worth mentioning that this decision came after the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh on July 31, who was assassinated in a cowardly attack by the Israeli regime, along with his bodyguard, at his residence in Tehran.