Hamas leader: We will end our consultations to choose a new leader within days | News
Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip, said on Sunday that the movement will conclude its consultations within days to choose a new leader, to succeed the head of the political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in the Iranian capital, Tehran, early Wednesday morning.
This came during Al-Hayya's speech at Haniyeh's condolence council in the Qatari capital, Doha, which Hamas broadcast via the Telegram platform.
Al-Hayya added, “Do not worry about Hamas, as we have lost a leader, but the movement is managed through our institutions, and there is no vacuum with the martyrdom of the leader.”
He continued, “We are a unified leadership, thanks to God. We hold our meetings and manage our work with full responsibility. In just a few days, we will conclude our consultations to choose a new leader for this movement, to follow the path of Ismail Haniyeh, continue on the path of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of the movement, and continue on the path of the martyrs of our Palestinian people.”
On Saturday, Hamas announced in a statement that its leaders had begun a broad consultation process in its leadership and Shura institutions to choose a new head for the movement’s political bureau after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.
On Wednesday, Hamas and Iran announced the assassination of Haniyeh, in an Israeli airstrike that targeted his residence in Tehran, the day after he participated in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian.
Haniyeh's assassination came as Israel, with American support, has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7, 2023, which has left more than 130,000 Palestinian martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 10,000 missing.
Tel Aviv continues the war, ignoring the UN Security Council resolution to stop it immediately, and the International Court of Justice’s orders to take measures to prevent acts of genocide and to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.