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Hamas conducts leadership vote across Gaza, West Bank and abroad
A senior Palestinian official disclosed to the BBC that Hamas is electing a new interim leader, with balloting underway in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and among its overseas members. The outcome could indicate the group's future direction as international mediators discuss Gaza's post-war governance and reconstruction.
Leadership vacuum follows Israeli strikes
The election follows the deaths of most of Hamas's senior leadership in Israeli airstrikes after the group's 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Yahya Sinwar, Hamas's overall leader, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in October 2024, while political leader Ismail Haniyeh and military chief Mohammed Deif died in separate Israeli strikes in July 2024.
Since then, an interim committee led by Qatar-based Mohammad Darwish has overseen the movement, though the position of overall leader remains vacant.
Key contenders and internal dynamics
The election is conducted by an 86-member electoral college drawn from Hamas's General Shura Council, representing Gaza, the West Bank, Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and officials abroad. According to the official, the primary contenders are:
- Khaled Meshaal, former head of Hamas's political bureau, currently based in Doha, Qatar;
- Zaher Jabarin, a senior figure in Hamas's West Bank leadership;
- Mousa Abu Marzouk, a veteran leader and former deputy head of the political bureau.
While other names have been discussed internally, no formal shortlist has been released. The new leader will serve a one-year term.
Shifting power balance within Hamas
The war has significantly altered Hamas's internal politics, weakening the influence of its Gaza-based leadership due to Israeli strikes that have decimated its military and political structures. Over 72,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, though it does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Historically, Hamas has been divided between two factions: one aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, represented by Meshaal and the external leadership, seen as more pragmatic; and another closer to Iran, led by figures like Sinwar, which prioritized armed resistance. After Haniyeh and Sinwar took leadership roles in 2017, decision-making shifted heavily toward Gaza.
The current conflict appears to have revived the influence of the movement's "old guard," traditionally linked to Meshaal, as Gaza's leadership has been severely weakened.
Implications for Gaza's future
Under Hamas's internal rules, its political leadership consists of 18 members: six each from Gaza, the West Bank and prisoners, and abroad. The election's outcome is seen as pivotal in determining how Hamas navigates both internal divisions and external pressures, including U.S.-backed ceasefire negotiations.
A ceasefire brokered by the U.S. took effect in October, with ongoing talks about its subsequent phases. Under the proposed terms, Hamas would be excluded from Gaza's future governance, which would eventually be transferred to the Palestinian Authority-currently administering parts of the West Bank-following reforms.
With Gaza devastated by years of conflict and its political landscape in flux, the selection of a new leader is viewed as a critical step in shaping Hamas's path forward.
