Who is Yahya Sinwar and why did Hamas appoint him?

Hamas announced Yahya Sinwar as the new head of its political bureau succeeding the late Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran last week.

Sinwar has long been shrouded in mystery. His life includes spending over two decades in Israeli imprisonment, holding top positions in both Hamas's military and political wings and setting up the Majd internal security organisation that targets and kills alleged Palestinian collaborators.

His appointment on Tuesday follows a consensus within Hamas's leadership and Shura Council, underscoring the movement's support for Sinwar, one of the most wanted men by Israel, which accuses him of being the mastermind behind the 7 October attacks.

Who is Yahya Sinwar?

Born on 19 October 1962 in the Khan Younis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, 61-year-old Sinwar, known as Abou Ibrahim, has largely remained out of the public eye.

He attended the Islamic University of Gaza, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in the Arabic language, according to a biography distributed by Hamas.

During his life as a student, he became involved in politics, landing him in Israeli jail in 1988 for 23 years after he was charged with establishing Hamas's internal security wing, al-Majd, which was responsible for identifying and executing alleged Palestinians who collaborated with Israel.

He was also charged with involvement in orchestrating attacks against Israeli targets, leading to his conviction and sentencing to multiple life terms in prison. 

Before his release in 2011, as part of the Shalit prisoner exchange deal, which was delayed until Israel accepted to add his name to the list, he was able to rally and unite Palestinian prisoners and hold meetings between them which went undetected by Israeli intelligence. He also reportedly learned Hebrew while in prison, according to an account by a former Fatah prisoner who had served time with Sinwar.

Following his release, Sinwar quickly rose to prominence, serving two terms as Hamas leader in Gaza. Despite his low public profile, he was a key figure in Hamas's military and political strategies, forging strong ties with regional allies such as Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

He played a key role in organising the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege protests in Gaza in 2018, which drew international attention to the struggles of Palestinians and saw international calls to pressure Israel into lifting its blockade on Gaza.

In 2015, the US placed him on the list of a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

In May 2021, he rose to prominence for leading the "Sword of Jersulem" attack on Israel in response to escalating Israeli violence in Shiekh Jarrah and the West Bank.

During the 11-day onslaught on Gaza, Israeli air strikes reportedly targeted homes in Gaza belonging to Sinwar and his brother. However, Sinwar appeared to emerge unscathed.

Following a long speech in which he said that he was triumphant in the face of Israel’s attempt to assassinate him, he walked home.

Sinwar was married in 2012 and has three children. He is believed to be in Gaza but has not made any public appearances since 7 October.

Gideon Levy, a columnist for Israeli daily Haaretz, wrote in 2021: "Sinwar spent 22 years in prison, just a little less than Nelson Mandela.

"There he learned fluent Hebrew, and it is a shame Israelis are not exposed to that. In Hebrew, he sounds more human. In Hebrew, he once told the Israeli journalist Yoram Binur he was willing to discuss a long-term hudna, or truce, with Israel, and maybe the next generations will progress from there."

Why did Hamas elect him?

Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday that Sinwar, "from the heart of the besieged Gaza Strip - who is present in the frontlines with resistance fighters and between the children of his people, under the rubble, blockage, killings and starvation", was the right figure to lead the group's political wing.

The statement added that the move "reasserts that the goals the enemy is seeking by killing leaders have failed".

Separately, in televised comments, political bureau member Osama Hamdan said that Sinwar's appointment "confirms the unity of the movement and its awareness of the dangers it faces, and to confirm that the policy of assassinations committed by the enemy against our leadership and resistance will not succeed in breaking the back of the resistance or in weakening it".

Lamis Andoni, a Palestinian journalist, writer, and academic who led the launch of The New Arab as editor-in-chief, explained that Sinwar's selection was "unanimous", adding that Hamas was choosing a chief who was a "fighter" and had been leading the battle directly from Gaza.

"It was difficult to reach a consensus on anyone else, as the key decision-makers are based inside Gaza because of their role in fighting Israel," Andoni told TNA. "Sinwar was a very strong candidate due to his leadership in the fighting and his popularity."

Andoni highlighted that Sinwar had been a central and fundamental part of decision-making within the movement, especially during the ongoing Israeli war on the besieged enclave.

Numerous reports following Haniyeh's assassination last week pointed to several potential candidates to fill his role, including Hamas's senior leader Khaled Mashal, its Gaza deputy leader Khalil al-Hayya, and its General Shura Council head Muhammad Ismail Darwish.

Anadoni told TNA that other candidates would have failed to achieve consensus and would have led to major disagreements within the Palestinian group.

"Sinwar is one of the key figures that would respect the unity of the Palestinian people," she said adding that his appointment "will not obstruct the ceasefire as the main issues that have prevented a deal had been coming from the Israeli side".

How has Israel reacted?

Meanwhile, the view from Israel has been one of surprise and worry as Sinwar's appointment sent a message that Hamas's Gaza leadership was strengthening despite Israeli attempts to weaken it.

Israel's Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz posted on X that electing Sinwar sent a "clear message that the Palestinian issue is now completely controlled by Iran and Hamas".

Israeli media reportedly heavily on the appointment this week, highlighting the shift in the movement's power base entirely to Gaza.

Roi Kais, the Arab affairs correspondent for KAN News, said in the evening news programme that "in reality, this (Sinwar's selection) is a surprise just a week after Haniyeh's assassination".

Kais said that Sinwar's appointment sent "a message from Hamas that he is alive, despite being hunted by Israel, and that Hamas's leadership in Gaza remains strong and intends to stay in power".

Meanwhile, the daily Haaretz reported that Sinwar's appointment "confirms his status as the group's most powerful person, even prior to Haniyeh's killing".

Similarly, Ynet news site reported that choosing Sinwar signified "the subordination of the entire political bureau to him".

Ynet reported that: "Now, the entire movement is subject to Sinwar's authority in Gaza, even in the theoretical realm."