Yahya Sinwar, the man that foreshadowed the historic operation Al Aqsa Flood has been chosen as Hamas’s new political chief. He takes the reigns from Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated in a Zionist strike in the Iranian capital Tehran.

In a statement Hamas says the 61-year-old Gazan leader was elected after comprehensive consultation and deliberations within the movement’s leadership institutions. It has expressed full confidence that Sinwar is the right person to lead the organisation during this sensitive phase and amid the complex local, regional, and international situation.

Sinwar, known as Abu Ibrahim, was born in the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza after his family was expelled from the city of Majdal Asqalan during the 1948 Nakba. The Israeli occupation kidnapped him on two occasions. He was incarcerated for 23 years before being released in 2011 as a result of the Wafa al-Ahrar deal.

During his incarceration Sinwar assumed the leadership of the high command of Hamas prisoners. He also led a series of hunger strikes and went on to become proficient in the Hebrew language. In 2017 he was elected as the head of the political bureau of Hamas in Gaza.

A position he continued to hold until his appointment as the new political head of the Palestinian movement this week. Sinwar has played an instrumental role in Al Aqsa Flood battle and is the most wanted Hamas leader by Israel as they consider him the mastermind of the operation that has shaken the entity.