In the past week, the world’s media closely watched as the top leaders of Hamas gathered in Qatar to select a new political leader for their group. Delegates from across the Middle East arrived after nearly a year of conflict between Hamas and Israel in Gaza. Some delegates arrived shaken after learning that the group’s previous leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had been killed in a blast in Tehran, reportedly by Israel.
Haniyeh played a crucial role in Hamas, overseeing negotiations with Israel while also managing the militant wing’s desire to engage in conflict. His sudden death left a void that needed to be filled quickly. The mourning ceremony in Doha, where Hamas leaders gathered to pay respects to Haniyeh, marked the end of an era and the start of a more extreme phase for the group.
The recent crisis and challenges faced by Hamas were evident in the discussions held behind the scenes during the leadership selection process. Ultimately, Yahya Sinwar, who had been leading Hamas in Gaza since 2017, was chosen as the new leader. Despite concerns about his close ties to the group’s armed wing and his role in past attacks on Israel, Sinwar’s global notoriety and popularity within the Arab and Islamic worlds led to his selection.
The decision to appoint Sinwar as leader was not without controversy, with some within Hamas leadership expressing reservations. However, the majority of votes supported his appointment, citing his reputation and defiance towards Israel as key factors. Sinwar’s connections to the “axis of resistance” supported by Iran further solidified his position as leader, despite being labeled a terrorist by many Western governments.
Efforts to reach a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel have been unsuccessful since the 7 October attack, with Sinwar’s leadership signaling a continued stance of defiance and resistance against Israel. La BBC entiende que los dos principales mediadores – Qatar y Egipto – están trabajando en una nueva propuesta de alto el fuego.
Los filtraciones sugieren que el plan se basa en convencer a Irán de no responder militarmente al asesinato de Haniyeh en su territorio, a cambio de que Israel ponga fin a su guerra en Gaza y retire sus tropas del corredor de Filadelfia.
El Corredor de Filadelfia es una zona de amortiguamiento, solo unos 100m (330 pies) de ancho en partes, que corre a lo largo del lado de Gaza de los 13km (8 millas) de frontera con Egipto. La única otra frontera terrestre de Gaza es con Israel mismo.
Un oficial palestino familiarizado con las negociaciones de alto el fuego me dijo en Doha: “La inteligencia egipcia ya ha enviado un equipo a Doha y hay reuniones para formular un plan de acción basado en evitar una posible respuesta iraní… a cambio de un alto el fuego.”
Por ahora, el tamborileo del conflicto solo se hace más fuerte, con Sinwar, la figura más extremista en Hamas, listo para liderar el grupo durante los próximos cinco años – si sobrevive a la guerra.