After the assassination of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyah, in Tehran, by Israel, Yahya Sinwar has been named as the new leader of Hamas. But, who exactly is he?

Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar, born in 1962, has been the head of Hamas in Gaza since 2017. He was born in the Khan Yuniss refugee camp whilst Gaza was under Egyptian rule. However, his family was expelled from Ashqelon but were expelled in the 1948 Naqba. He spent 22 years in Israeli prison, where he became fluent in Hebrew, but was freed in a prisoner exchange.

Sinwar is regarded as one of the primary orchestrators of Hamas’ October 7th attack on Israel, along with Muhammad Deif (Head of the Al Qassam brigades).

In 1985, Sinwar founded an organization named Al-Majd. The purpose of the organisation was to track down and target Palestinians who were feeding information to the Israeli government. The organisation was later integrated into Hamas in 1987.

Under Sinwar’s leadership, Hamas has continued to receive financial support, weapons, and training from Iran. This relationship has further solidified Sinwar’s position as a central figure in the broader regional dynamics involving Israel, Iran, and other Middle Eastern players. His role in orchestrating attacks against Israel has placed him on Israel’s most-wanted list, making him a key target in the ongoing conflict.