Hamas begins talks to elect new political leader after Haniyeh’s death

Aug. 4 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has confirmed the start of a “broad consultation process” to elect the new political leader of the organisation who will fill the void left by Ismail Haniyeh, who died this week in the Iranian capital, Tehran, as a result of an attack attributed to Israel.

In a statement reported by the Palestinian daily Filastin, which is affiliated with the organization, Hamas said that the initial process began “within hours of the criminal murder of the Zionists.”

Over the next few days, Hamas’s political bureau and the so-called Shura Council — an executive body comprising Hamas officials from Gaza, the West Bank, the diaspora and prisoners in Israel — began convening a “broad consultation process with a view to electing a new leader of the movement.”

Analysts believe that the two favourites to replace Haniyeh are founding member Khaled Meshal and MP Khalil al-Haya, although the group has not mentioned any kind of list of candidates so far.