Doha, August 6 — Yahya Sinwar has been elected as the new head of Hamas, the Palestinian independence organization. The decision was made after two days of discussions among members of the organization in Doha, Qatar. The Qatar-based media outlet Al Jazeera reported the election results on Tuesday.

The Sura Council of Hamas considered two candidates, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Hassan Darwish. Following an anonymous vote, Sinwar, 61, was selected as the leader of the organization's political wing.

Before his election, Sinwar was responsible for operations in the Gaza Strip since 2017. He is seen as a more hardline figure compared to the late leader Ismail Haniya. Sinwar is at the top of Israel's most wanted list and is also listed as a terrorist by the United States.

Sinwar is believed to have orchestrated the October 7 attack in Israel and has not been seen in public since that incident. His election follows the assassination of former Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in Tehran last week.