Hamas will this week elect the head of their Gaza political branch — the group’s de facto leader in the Palestinian enclave, Hamas sources told AFP on Tuesday.
The powerful position is currently held by Yahya Sinwar, a former commander of Hamas’ military branch who served more than two decades in an Israeli prison before being released in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange.
#GazaStrip: Final results of Hamas internal election to be released next week, however, votes indicate that Nizar Awadallah has won against Yahya Sinwar, Palestinian security analyst Mohammad Najib reports: pic.twitter.com/42dfz9X1Aa
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) March 9, 2021
Sinwar is one of five candidates contesting the election, along with Nizar Awadallah, the former head of Hamas’ advisory Shura Council.
Hamas sources, who requested anonymity, said the vote would be held “this week” and the result announced “next week”.
Sinwar was elected to the post in 2017.
The poll comes ahead of the May 22 Palestinian legislative elections, the first Palestinian vote in 15 years.
(The New Arab, PC, Social Media)
