Senior sources within Hamas said the movement has decided to postpone the election of the head of its political bureau, which had been scheduled to take place within the first ten days of January.
The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the decision to delay the vote was taken “until further notice,” noting that no new date has been set, although elections “could be held at any moment.”
One source attributed the postponement to “security and political conditions,” as well as Hamas’ current preoccupation with negotiations aimed at moving to the second phase of the ceasefire, amid intensified mediation efforts involving regional brokers and the United States.
Other sources pointed to additional factors, including internal disagreements over organizational arrangements within the Gaza Strip, which have deepened in recent days and are now the subject of efforts to resolve them.
Hamas is facing what sources described as its most severe crisis since its founding in 1987. Israeli strikes launched after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack have targeted various levels and wings of the movement, triggering significant organizational and financial challenges.
Sources said the accelerating momentum surrounding a possible transition to the second phase of the ceasefire has become the main concern for Hamas’s leadership. While electing a new head of the political bureau is seen as a key step in reorganizing the movement’s internal affairs, the process may take longer than initially expected, they added.
Only days ago, sources had told Asharq Al-Awsat that the elections were expected to be held within the first ten days of the new year, with the aim of reinforcing internal stability and reassuring the outside world that the movement remains cohesive.
Those sources said at the time that electing a political bureau chief would not end the role of the current leadership council formed after the assassinations of Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya al-Sinwar. The council would instead continue as an advisory body overseeing Hamas’ internal and external affairs.
Asked whether internal divisions exist over who should lead Hamas, one source said only that “the electoral process is conducted according to established rules and regulations, and there are no disputes over the individual who will lead the movement.”
However, there have been suggestions that Khaled Meshaal, head of Hamas’s political bureau abroad, and Khalil al-Hayya, head of the political bureau in Gaza, are the top contenders for the post.
Some sources said there is strong support within Hamas’ external leadership and in the West Bank for Meshaal to assume the role, while a majority in Gaza favors al-Hayya.
The sources did not rule out the emergence of a third, currently unidentified figure. “Nothing can be predicted at this stage,” one source said. “What is happening should not be seen as rivalry driven by internal disputes over leadership, but rather as a healthy competitive process.”
