Battle for the Top: The Man Who Could Lead Hamas After the War

Hamas’s leadership abroad is once again moving toward appointing a new leader for the terrorist organization, according to a report in the Arab newspaper Rai Al-Youm.

According to the report, Hamas is expected to hold an internal vote in several Middle Eastern capitals before mid-June, in an effort to decide who will head the organization in the near term. The two main candidates mentioned are Khaled Mashaal, who heads Hamas’s leadership abroad, and Khalil al-Hayya, who is responsible for the Gaza portfolio and negotiations.

Arab and regional sources told the newspaper that Mashaal’s appointment as head of Hamas is expected to be received favorably by countries in the region, especially Qatar. The report also claimed that Mashaal could help Hamas achieve breakthroughs on issues concerning the organization and Gaza, in part because Turkey, Qatar and Egypt prefer a leader capable of engaging in dialogue with regional states.