List of leaders of Hamas

Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau
Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau
	Incumbent; Khaled Mashal; since August 2024
Formation	1987
First holder	Ahmed Yassin
Deputy	TBD

The chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, also known as chairman of the Hamas Shura Council from 1987 until 2004, is the overall and de-facto leader of Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military organisation governing parts of the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip since 2007.

History

Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas, become the first chairman of the Hamas Shura Council and de-facto leader of Hamas from December 1987 until March 2004. Following his assassination, his deputy, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi took over for only 15 days before he was assassinated by Israel.

The current chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau at that time, Khalid Mashal, took over Hamas leadership and declare as the overall and de-facto leader of Hamas since April 2004. Although he hold this position since 1996, he was not the overall leader of Hamas since the chairman of the Hamas Shura Council considered the de-facto leader.

In May 2017, Ismail Haniyeh, the deputy chairman of Hamas Political Bureau, was elected by the Hamas Shura Council as the chairman of Hamas Political Bureau. Haniyeh selected Saleh al-Arouri as his deputy. However, Al-Arouri was assassinated by Israeli strike in January 2024. Six month later, Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran while attending for the inauguration ceremony of the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian.

In August 2024, Khaled Mashal, the then-chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, was expected to lead Hamas again.^[1]

Structure of organisation and selection

Hamas inherited a tripartite organization of social services, religious instruction, and military operations overseen by a Shura Council. It used to have four different roles:

a security service (Arabic: Jehaz Aman);
a military division for acquiring weapons and conducting operations (Arabic: Al-Mujahideen al Filastinun);
a charitable social welfare division (Arabic: Dawah); and
a media branch (Arabic: A'alam).

Hamas is led both internally, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and externally, by two groups: Kuwaiti organization (Kuwaidi), led by Khaled Mashal, and a Gaza group led by Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, who was exiled first to Damascus subsequently to Egypt. Following its leader Mashal's decision to demand that Iraq withdraw from Kuwait and defy Yasser Arafat's decision to support Saddam Hussein in the invasion, the Kuwaiti group of Palestinian exiles started to receive substantial money from the Gulf States. Ismail Haniyeh was selected by the Hamas Shura Council on May 2017 to succeed Mashal as the leader of Hamas.

The organization's operational actions are concealed by a veil of secrecy, making its actual structure unclear. Although this has been called into question, Hamas formally claims that the wings are separate and independent. Its wings, it has been suggested, are both distinct and united for political purposes, both foreign and internal. The wide network of informants and the depth of Israeli intelligence surveillance pose challenges to communication between Hamas's military and political wings. Field commanders were granted more discretionary authority over operations and the political direction of the militant wing was weakened following the assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi.

The Majlis al-Shura (Shura Council) is the main body that governs Hamas. It is modeled after the Quranic idea of shura, or popular assembly, which Hamas officials claim allows for democracy within an Islamic framework. The General Consultative Council, whose members are chosen from local council groupings, replaced the Shura Council as the organization became increasingly intricate and Israeli pressure mounted. The 15-member of Political Bureau (Arabic: Al-Maktab al-Siyasi) that decides matters for Hamas is chosen by the council. Representatives are drawn from Israeli prisoners, the West Bank, Gaza, and leaders living abroad. Up until January 2012, the Political Bureau was located in Damascus. However, due to Hamas's backing of the Syrian rebel against Bashar al-Assad during the civil war, the office had to relocate to Qatar.

Powers and duties

List

No.	Name (birth–death)	Term in office	Duration	Deputy
Chairman of the Hamas Shura Council
1.	Ahmed Yassin X born 1936; died 2004 (died in office)	10 December 1987 – 22 March 2004	16 years, 103 days	Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi (1987–2004)
2.	Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi^{[note 1]} X born 1947; died 2004 (died in office)	22 March 2004 – 17 April 2004	15 days	none^{[note 2]}
Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau
3.	Khaled Mashal^{[note 3]} born 1956	17 April 2004^[2] – 6 May 2017	13 years, 19 days	Mousa Abu Marzook (2004–2013) Ismail Haniyeh (2013–2017)^[3]
4.	Ismail Haniyeh X born 1962/1963; died 2024 (died in office)	6 May 2017 – 31 July 2024	7 years, 86 days	Saleh al-Arouri (2013–2024)
5.	Khaled Mashal^{[note 4]} born 1956	August 2024 – present	TBD	TBD

Notes

^ Al-Rantisi was named the new chairman of the Hamas Shura Council and covering duties as de-facto leader of Hamas after the assassination of Ahmed Yassin. However, he did not last long in holding that position when he was assassinated after 15 days.
^ No deputy chairman of the Hamas Shura Council and/or deputy leader of Hamas was appointed at this period of time.
^ Mashal was chairman of Hamas Political Bureau since 1996, following the imprisonment of his predecessor, Mousa Abu Marzook, in July 1995. The founder of Hamas, Ahmed Yassin, who is also serving as chairman of Hamas Shura Council, was designed to be the de-facto leader of Hamas since its inception. However, after the assassination of Ahmed Yassin in March 2004, his deputy, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, was appointed as the chairman of Hamas Shura Council and covering duties as de-facto leader of Hamas. After 15 days, he was assassinated. Until that moment, Mashal took over the leadership of Hamas and has been regarded as the overall and de-facto leader of Hamas since April 2004.
^ Mashal was expected to be the next chairman of Hamas Political Bureau and leader of Hamas,^[4] succeeding Haniyeh after his assassination. However, no official statement from Hamas about the change of leadership as of today.

References

^ Al-Mughrabi, Nidal. "Khaled Meshaal, who survived Israeli assassination attempt, tipped to be new Hamas leader". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
^ Jha, Mausam. "How Benjamin Netanyahu boosted rise of Khaled Meshaal, likely new chief of Hamas". Mint. Retrieved 2024-08-03. Khaled Meshaal led Hamas from exile in Damascus from 2004 until early 2012, when he left due to President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on Sunnis during the uprising. He now splits his time between Doha and Cairo.
^ "Hamas appoints Haniya as deputy head: party official". AFP. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
^ Al-Mughrabi, Nidal. "Khaled Meshaal, who survived Israeli assassination attempt, tipped to be new Hamas leader". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-08-03.

[2] Al-Rantisi was named the new chairman of the Hamas Shura Council and covering duties as de-facto leader of Hamas after the assassination of Ahmed Yassin. However, he did not last long in holding that position when he was assassinated after 15 days.

[3] No deputy chairman of the Hamas Shura Council and/or deputy leader of Hamas was appointed at this period of time.

[4] Mashal was chairman of Hamas Political Bureau since 1996, following the imprisonment of his predecessor, Mousa Abu Marzook, in July 1995. The founder of Hamas, Ahmed Yassin, who is also serving as chairman of Hamas Shura Council, was designed to be the de-facto leader of Hamas since its inception. However, after the assassination of Ahmed Yassin in March 2004, his deputy, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, was appointed as the chairman of Hamas Shura Council and covering duties as de-facto leader of Hamas. After 15 days, he was assassinated. Until that moment, Mashal took over the leadership of Hamas and has been regarded as the overall and de-facto leader of Hamas since April 2004.

[8] Mashal was expected to be the next chairman of Hamas Political Bureau and leader of Hamas,^[4] succeeding Haniyeh after his assassination. However, no official statement from Hamas about the change of leadership as of today.

[1] Al-Mughrabi, Nidal. "Khaled Meshaal, who survived Israeli assassination attempt, tipped to be new Hamas leader". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-08-03.

[5] Jha, Mausam. "How Benjamin Netanyahu boosted rise of Khaled Meshaal, likely new chief of Hamas". Mint. Retrieved 2024-08-03. Khaled Meshaal led Hamas from exile in Damascus from 2004 until early 2012, when he left due to President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on Sunnis during the uprising. He now splits his time between Doha and Cairo.

[6] "Hamas appoints Haniya as deputy head: party official". AFP. Retrieved 2024-08-04.

[7] Al-Mughrabi, Nidal. "Khaled Meshaal, who survived Israeli assassination attempt, tipped to be new Hamas leader". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-08-03.

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