October 7 architect Yahya Sinwar set to make Hamas even more extreme

Hamas has named Yahya Sinwar – its leader in Gaza and one of the planners of the October 7 terror attack on Israel – as the new head of its political bureau, following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh last week.

Israel has publicly accused Sinwar of being the “mastermind” behind Hamas’ attack – though experts say he is likely one of several – making him one of the key targets of its war in Gaza.

He has remained at large in the vast warren of tunnels trenched beneath Gaza, moving frequently and possibly surrounded by hostages as human shields, US officials believe. Sinwar has not been seen in public since October 7.

The move consolidates Hamas under Sinwar, one of the group’s most powerful figures. Sinwar is seen as a hardliner and his appointment casts further uncertainty over truce talks already rattled by Haniyeh’s assassination.

Sinwar’s predecessor Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran last week, raising fears that Israel’s conflict with Hamas and its allies could develop into a multi-front, fully-fledged war in the Middle East. While the Iranian government and Hamas say that Israel carried out the assassination, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.

The appointment is seen as a message from Hamas to Israel, to the US, to the mediators of the hostage deal, and to the Palestinian public. Sinwar will be the one to decide the specifics of the agreement, while simultaneously attempting to influence the discourse in front of all the relevant parties on the day after the war.

Avi Issacharoff writes that Sinwar sees himself as a modern-day Saladin and anyone who disagrees with him will be killed.

"Sinwar has told other senior members of Hamas, "I will navigate, I will lead and anyone who disapproves will end up dead", wrote Issacharoff.