Hamas’s pick of Yahya Sinwar as leader makes a ceasefire less likely
The appointment of the architect of October 7th ties the group closer to Iran
IF THERE WAS ever any doubt over where the balance of power lay within Hamas, it was surely vanquished on August 6th when the militant group named Yahya Sinwar, its leader in Gaza and the architect of the October 7th attacks, as its supreme leader. The appointment sends a clear signal that Hamas’s most extreme faction is now in charge. This dims hopes of a ceasefire that might end a war that has already claimed nearly 40,000 Gazan lives.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “A vote for even more extremism”
From the August 10th 2024 edition
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