What has happened to Hamas's most prominent leaders?

🌈 Abstract

The article provides an overview of the prominent Hamas leaders who have been targeted, allegedly by Israel, since the war began in Gaza following Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Hamas Leaders Targeted

1. What happened to Ismail Haniyeh, the overall leader of Hamas?

• Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in an aerial strike on a building he was staying in during a visit to Tehran on July 31, 2024. Iran and Hamas have blamed Israel for the strike.
• Haniyeh was a prominent member of Hamas in the late 1980s and was imprisoned by Israel for three years in 1989 during the first Palestinian uprising. He was later exiled in 1992 to a no-man's-land between Israel and Lebanon, along with other Hamas leaders.
• Haniyeh was appointed Palestinian prime minister in 2006 after Hamas won the most seats in national elections, but was dismissed a year later amid deadly violence in Gaza. He was elected head of Hamas's political bureau in 2017, making him the overall leader of the group.

2. What is known about Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip?

• Yahya Sinwar was born in the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza in 1962. He formed Hamas's internal security service in 1988, which targeted alleged Palestinian collaborators with Israel.
• Sinwar was arrested by Israel three times and sentenced to four life terms in 1988 for planning the abduction and murder of two Israeli soldiers and the murder of four Palestinians. However, he was released in 2011 in an exchange for an Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas.
• Sinwar was appointed head of Hamas's political bureau in the Gaza Strip in 2017, making him the group's leader in the territory. He has not been seen since the start of the war with Israel in October 2023 and is believed to be hiding "10 storeys underground".

[02] Other Prominent Hamas Figures

1. What happened to Mohammed Deif, the head of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas?

• Mohammed Deif was Israel's most wanted man for decades and was known as "The Mastermind" and "The Cat with Nine Lives". He was accused of planning and supervising bus bombings that killed tens of Israelis in 1996 and involvement in the capture and killing of three Israeli soldiers in the mid-1990s.
• Deif survived several assassination attempts by Israel, including in 2002 when he lost an eye, a foot, and a hand, and was left with difficulty speaking. Israel says it killed him in an air strike on a compound in the Khan Younis area of Gaza on July 13, 2023, though Hamas has not confirmed his death.

2. What is known about Marwan Issa, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades?

• Marwan Issa, also known as the "Shadow Man", was viewed as Mohammed Deif's right-hand man. He was on Israel's most wanted list and was injured when Israel attempted to assassinate him in 2006.
• The White House reported that Issa was killed in an Israeli air strike in March 2024, but Hamas has not confirmed his death. He is thought to have played a significant role in planning incursions into Israel, including the most recent attack.

3. What is the status of Khaled Meshaal and Mahmoud Zahar, other prominent Hamas leaders?

• Khaled Meshaal, considered one of the founders of Hamas, survived an assassination attempt by Israel's Mossad spy agency in 1997 while living in Jordan. He later became head of Hamas's political bureau abroad.
• Mahmoud Zahar, a prominent member of Hamas's political leadership, has survived several assassination attempts by Israel, including in 2003 when a bomb killed his eldest son.