- Source: List of leaders of Hamas
The chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau (Arabic: رئيس المكتب السياسي لحركة حماس, romanized: Ra’īs al-Maktab as-Siasi li-Ḥarakat Ḥamās), also known as the chairman of the Hamas Shura Council (Arabic: رئيس مجلس شورى لحركة حماس, romanized: Ra’īs Majlis Shūra li-Ḥarakat Ḥamās) from 1987 until 2004, is the overall and de facto leader of Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military organisation that is governing most of the Gaza Strip since 2007. The position is currently vacant, following the killing of Yahya Sinwar by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on 16 October 2024 in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestine. However, the council that was handpicked by Sinwar in case of his death was formed and will lead Hamas until the next election that will take place in March 2025. The council consists of Khaled Mashal, Khalil al-Hayya, Zaher Jabarin, Muhammad Ismail Darwish, and an unnamed senior member of Hamas.
The chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau is expected to oversee the organization and its various components, while military operations are managed separately by military commanders. Residing in Doha, Qatar, the chairman serves as a figurehead for Hamas during Palestinian elections and becomes the central leader in the resistance against Israeli occupation. Additionally, he plays a crucial role in foreign relations, leading negotiations with Israeli officials regarding peace processes, fostering reconciliation with Fatah, and enhancing ties with other Middle Eastern countries.
History
Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas, became the first chairman of the Hamas Shura Council and de facto leader of Hamas from December 1987 until March 2004. Following his assassination, his deputy, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi took over for only 26 days before he was assassinated by Israel.
The current chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau at that time, Khaled Mashal, took over Hamas leadership and was declared the overall and de facto leader of Hamas since April 2004. Although he held this position since 1996, he was not the overall leader of Hamas since the chairman of the Hamas Shura Council at that time considered as the de facto leader. Hamas elected Mousa Abu Marzook, the previous political bureau's chairman, as the deputy chairman of Hamas Political Bureau in January 1997.
In May 2017, Ismail Haniyeh, the deputy chairman of Hamas Political Bureau, was elected by the Hamas Shura Council as the chairman of Hamas Political Bureau. Hamas also elected Saleh al-Arouri as the deputy chairman of Hamas Political Bureau. However, Al-Arouri was assassinated by Israeli strike in January 2024. Six months later, Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran while attending for the inauguration ceremony of the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian.
On 31 July 2024, Khaled Mashal was selected as the acting chairman of Hamas Political Bureau until the new leader was elected. Mashal, the then-chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, was expected to lead Hamas again.
On 5 August 2024, Muhammad Ismail Darwish was expected to become the next chairman of Hamas Political Bureau. Before this, he serving as the chairman of the Hamas Shura Council from October 2023, succeeded Osama Mazini, after his killing on 16 October 2023 by Israeli strike.
However, on 6 August 2024, Yahya Sinwar was officially appointed as the next chairman of Hamas Political Bureau and de facto leader of Hamas, six days after the assassination of his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh. The announcement came after the Shura Council, the body that elects Hamas' politburo, voted unanimously to choose Sinwar as the new leader, in what was described by a Hamas official as a "message of defiance to Israel". Khalil al-Hayya was selected as the deputy chairman of Hamas Political Bureau on the same day. Previously, Al-Hayya was the deputy leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
On 16 October 2024, Sinwar was killed after leading Hamas for only two and a half months.
In the aftermath, Khaled Mashal was performing duties again as acting de facto leader of Hamas, for the second time, until the new leader was elected.
Sinwar recommended that, in case of his death, Hamas appoint a council of leaders to govern and manage the transition following his death. The Sinwar's recommended council include:
Khaled Mashal, second chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau (1996–2017)
Khalil al-Hayya, current deputy chairman of Hamas Political Bureau (2024) and Hamas Political Bureau in the Gaza Strip (2017–present)
Zaher Jabarin, current chairman of Hamas Political Bureau in the West Bank (2024–present)
Muhammad Ismail Darwish, current chairman of Hamas Shura Council (2023–present)
Unknown, known to be as the current secretary of the Hamas Political Bureau
The Hamas official indicated that Khalil al-Hayya has assumed responsibility for most political and foreign affairs in addition to his direct oversight of Gaza-related matters and is effectively the acting de facto leader of Hamas.
There were many potential successor for future Hamas leader, including Khaled Mashal, second chairman of Hamas Political Bureau from 1996 until 2017, Mohammed Sinwar, brother of Yahya Sinwar and one of the leader of the Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades, Zaher Jabarin, current Hamas leader in the West Bank, and Khalil al-Hayya, current deputy chairman of Hamas Political Bureau since 2024 and longtime deputy of Yahya Sinwar in Gaza Strip.
Structure of organisation and selection
Hamas inherited a tripartite organization of social services, religious instruction, and military operations overseen by a Shura Council. It used to have four different roles:
a security service (Arabic: Jehaz Aman);
a military division for acquiring weapons and conducting operations (Arabic: Al-Mujahideen al Filastinun);
a charitable social welfare division (Arabic: Dawah); and
a media branch (Arabic: A'alam).
Hamas is led both internally, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and externally, by two groups: Kuwaiti organization (Kuwaidi), led by Khaled Mashal, and a Gaza group led by Mousa Abu Marzook, who was exiled first to Damascus and subsequently to Egypt. Following its leader Mashal's decision to demand that Iraq withdraw from Kuwait and defy Yasser Arafat's decision to support Saddam Hussein in the invasion, the Kuwaiti group of Palestinian exiles started to receive substantial money from the Gulf States. Ismail Haniyeh was selected by the Hamas Shura Council in May 2017 to succeed Mashal as the leader of Hamas.
The organization's operational actions are concealed by a veil of secrecy, making its actual structure unclear. Although this has been called into question, Hamas formally claims that the wings are separate and independent. Its wings, it has been suggested, are both distinct and united for political purposes, both foreign and internal. The wide network of informants and the depth of Israeli intelligence surveillance pose challenges to communication between Hamas' military and political wings. Field commanders were granted more discretionary authority over operations and the political direction of the militant wing was weakened following the assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi.
The Hamas Shura Council (Arabic: Majlis al-Shura) is Hamas' main consultative body, with nearly 60 members, most in Gaza, and the main body that governs Hamas. It is modeled after the Quranic idea of shura, or popular assembly, which Hamas officials claim allows for democracy within an Islamic framework. The General Consultative Council, whose members are chosen from local council groupings, replaced the Shura Council as the organization became increasingly intricate and Israeli pressure mounted. The 15 members of the Hamas Political Bureau (Arabic: Al-Maktab al-Siyasi) that decides matters for Hamas is chosen by the council. Representatives are drawn from Israeli prisoners, the West Bank, Gaza, and leaders living abroad. Up until January 2012, the Political Bureau was located in Damascus. However, due to Hamas' backing of the Syrian rebel against Bashar al-Assad during the civil war, the office had to relocate to Qatar.
Powers and duties
The chairman of Hamas Political Bureau was expected to rule over Hamas and all its components. However, there's some exception on its military operations, who have their own command from the military commanders.
The chairman will become the figurehead and lead the party in all Palestinian elections (presidential election and legislative election). He will become the central figure for Hamas resistance against Israeli-occupied territories all over the world, contrasting to their opposite political party, Fatah which kind of moderate one.
The chairman also led the negotiations for Hamas foreign relations such as negotiations with Israeli government officials for peace process, reconciliation process with Fatah and strengthen relations with other countries in the Middle East.
Residence
The residences of the leader changes over time. At inception, he resided in Gaza Strip, Palestine. Due to their security after the assassination of their second chairman, the residence was changed to Amman, Jordan from 1992 until 1997. After that, they moving to Damascus, Syria due to conflict with King Hussein of Jordan. He resided there from 1997 until 2012. After their headquarter (HQ) was closed by Syrian government amid their support for Syrian opposition in the Syrian civil war, the chairman moved to Doha, Qatar from 2012 until 2024.
The previous chairman, Yahya Sinwar, led Hamas from Gaza Strip, Palestine, since he also led the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip. Sinwar was the first chairman of Hamas Political Bureau to reside in Gaza Strip, doing so while the Hamas war with Israel was ongoing. The chairman of Hamas Political Bureau usually lived outside the Gaza Strip, due to the security reasons.
Hamas closed its office in Damascus in 2012 after supporting the revolution against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Since then, Assad repeatedly denounced Hamas for betrayal and hypocrisy. Hamas announced in August 2023 that it intended to reopen its office in Syria.
Office holder fate
Most of the leaders that led Hamas have been assassinated while in office. The founder, Ahmed Yassin was killed in March 2004, while his successor, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi was assassinated 26 days later. Ismail Haniyeh, the 4th de facto leader of Hamas, was assassinated in July 2024 shortly after attending the inauguration ceremony of the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian. Yahya Sinwar, the latest de facto leader of Hamas, was killed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF), alongside Mahmoud Hamdan, commander of the Tel Sultan Battalion and Hani Zaarab on 16 October 2024. Only Khaled Mashal has not been assassinated or killed, as of today.
List of leaders
This is the list of leaders of Hamas since its inception in December 1987.
= Timeline
=This is the timeline of leaders of Hamas since its inception in December 1987.
This is the timeline of deputy leaders of Hamas since its inception in December 1987.
List of chairmen of shura council and political bureau of Hamas
= List of chairmen of shura council
=This is the incomplete list of chairman of Hamas Shura Council since 1987.
= List of chairmen of political bureau
=This is the incomplete list of chairman of Hamas Political Bureau since 1992.
List of current members of political bureau of Hamas
The Politburo comprises 15 members elected by the Hamas Shura Council every four years. Until his death on 16 October 2024 it was headed by Yahya Sinwar, who replaced Ismail Haniyeh in August 2024 following the assassination of Haniyeh. In addition to the main Politburo, Hamas has regional political bureau elected by four regional shura council, representing the West Bank, Gaza, the diaspora / Palestinian abroad, and Israeli prisoners.
= List of current members of main political bureau
=This is the current list of the main political bureau of Hamas. All these members was elected since May 2017.
= List of current members of political bureau in the Gaza Strip
=This is the current list of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip. All these members was elected since March 2021.
= List of current members of political bureau in the West Bank
=List of the political bureau of Hamas in the West Bank elected since May 2017.
Saleh al-Arouri X (Chairman)
Zaher Jabarin (Deputy Chairman; Chairman)
Azzam al-Aqra X
Samir Fandi X
Khalil al-Kharraz X
= List of current members of political bureau in the Diaspora / Palestinian Abroad
=This is the current list of the political bureau of Hamas in the Diaspora / Palestinian Abroad. All these members was elected since May 2017.
Khaled Mashal (Chairman)
= List of current members of political bureau in the Israeli prisoners
=This is the current list of the political bureau of Hamas in the Israeli prisoners. All these members was elected since May 2017.
Salameh Katawi (Chairman)
See also
Secretary-General of Hezbollah
Axis of Resistance
Palestinian Joint Operations Room
Notes
References
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