According to Asharq, Hayya is expected to win due to his popularity in the Gaza Strip and involvement in Hamas operations in the West Bank.
Hamas is planning to hold internal elections to choose its new political bureau head, the Saudi Arabia-based channel Asharq News reported on Saturday.
The election, which was originally set to be held earlier this year, was ordered by a leadership council that was established after the deaths of Hamas’s previous political bureau chiefs Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, who was the mastermind behind Hamas’s October 7 massacre.
Asharq News reported that the decision to hold the election, which will result in the dissolution of the transitional leadership council, was forced by “the appearance of contradictory opinions among the members of the council” regarding Hamas’s future in Gaza and ties with regional allies.
Hamas’s Shura Council, made up of approximately 50 individuals representing the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and global Hamas operations, has begun preparations for the election, the Saudi news channel said, adding that the vote will occur within the next few days or weeks.
Candidates disagree on Hamas strategy, Iran ties
The two candidates up for the position are Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Mashaal. According to Asharq, Hayya is expected to win due to his popularity in the Gaza Strip and involvement in Hamas operations in the West Bank.
Hayya’s platform is based on maintaining the current status quo of Hamas’s strategy, which includes “armed confrontation with Israel in the Gaza Strip until the war ends and the Israeli army completely withdraws,” the news agency said.
In contrast, Mashaal is reportedly leaning toward a path based on trying to distance Hamas from Iranian influence, strengthening ties with more moderate Arab nations, and continuing to participate in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Gaza.
Hayya and Mashaal were two of the three Hamas terror leaders targeted by an unsuccessful Israeli assassination attempt in Doha in early September.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
The most effective method to Distinguish the Best Material Organization in Your Space - 2Israel's ban on unsupervised reporters in Gaza causes strategic harm to legitimacy
- 3California officials warn against foraging wild mushrooms after deadly poisoning outbreak
- 4Great DSLR Cameras for Photography Devotees
- 5Israeli strike on Gaza City vehicle kills at least four, report says
- Figure out How to Get the Most Familiar Drive for Seniors in SUVs
- 'War is not over': Detailed diagrams of prisons found in cells of Oct. 7 terrorists
- A mom stopped giving her kids snacks — and sparked a debate about eating habits
- Figure out How to Modify Your Pre-assembled Home for Greatest Solace and Stylish Allure
- Instructions to Pick the Right Dental Expert for Teeth Substitution
- Cyclone causes blackout, flight chaos in Brazil's Sao Paulo
- Aluminum salts emerge as likely target as health officials scrutinize childhood vaccines
- Phenomenal Web-based MBA Stages for Proficient Headway
- In blow to Lula, Brazil Congress revives controversial environmental bill
