Palestinian militant group Hamas is preparing to elect a political leader after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in an attack in Tehran on Wednesday blamed on Israel.
Speculation about this crucial succession comes nearly ten months after the start of the Gaza war, which erupted following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7.
Qatar-based Haniyeh, elected Hamas political chief in 2017, was killed in a pre-dawn attack at his accommodation while visiting the Iranian capital for the swearing-in ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
A source from the group said AFP that “relations with Arab and Islamic countries” will also be taken into account when choosing their next leader.
Below are some of the senior officials considered to be Hamas's next potential political leader:
Khalil al-Hayya
Khalil al-Hayya is the deputy head of Hamas's political bureau in the Gaza Strip, and is said to be well acquainted with the group's leader in the territory, Yahya Sinwar.
Musa Abu Marzuk
The senior member of Hamas's political bureau is seen as similar to Haniyeh in his pragmatic approach to negotiations.
In the 1990s he lived in the United States, where he was arrested on charges of raising funds for the armed wing of the movement. He later lived in exile in Jordan, Egypt and Qatar.
He has previously been mentioned as a possible successor to Hamas leaders, but without success so far.
Zaher Jabarin
The Hamas treasurer was long close to Haniyeh and has sometimes been described as one of his right-hand men.
After being detained in Israeli prisons, he was released in 2011 as part of an exchange for the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held hostage for five years.
Khaled Meshaal
Haniyeh's predecessor has lived in exile since 1967, in Jordan, Qatar, Syria and other countries.
He was propelled to the head of the movement after Israel killed Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin and then his successor Abdelaziz al-Rantisi.
In 1997, Meshaal survived an assassination attempt by poisoning in Amman by agents of the Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service.
Yahya Sinwar
Sinwar, elected in February 2017 to lead Hamas in the Gaza Strip, is the alleged mastermind behind the October 7 attack.
The 61-year-old ascetic spent 23 years in Israeli jails before being released in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange.
