Al-Quds newspaper

Informed sources reported that the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas is on the cusp of resolving the issue of heading its political office, after intensive consultations that took place recently. Current data indicate that the competition was confined mainly between Political Bureau member Khalil Al-Hayya and the head of the movement abroad, Khaled Meshal, with expectations that an official announcement in this regard will be issued within the next few days.

The sources confirmed that the Gaza Strip region has already completed the internal voting process to choose the head of the political bureau, which represents a fundamental pillar in the movement’s electoral process. This step comes within the framework of Hamas’s efforts to put its internal house in order and overcome the leadership challenges imposed by the complex field and political circumstances at the current stage.

In parallel, logistical and organizational arrangements are being made to complete voting operations in the West Bank and diaspora regions, to ensure the participation of all organizational bases in decision-making. This accelerated electoral movement aims to close the leadership file in the shortest possible period of time, ensuring the stability of the movement’s administrative and political structure in the face of future elections.

In the context of internal arrangements to ensure a smooth transition of power, the sources revealed that the Gaza region has also decided the identity of who will succeed Khalil Al-Hayya as head of the movement in the Strip if he wins the top position. This proactive step reflects the movement’s desire to maintain the cohesion of its organizational frameworks and avoid any leadership vacuum that might affect the progress of work in the different regions.

It is noteworthy that the Hamas movement was managed during the past year and a half through an interim leadership council, which assumed caretaker duties due to the difficulty of holding comprehensive elections in light of the current security conditions. The decision to activate the electoral process at the beginning of this year came as an urgent necessity to pump new blood into the senior leadership and establish organizational legitimacy for the next stage.

The current term of the Political Bureau was supposed to end in 2025, but the movement’s institutions took a decision to extend the term for an additional year to ensure the completion of all technical arrangements. These moves fall within a broader vision that aims to complete the formation of the political bureau with all its members, in preparation for holding comprehensive general elections that may be held at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.

Political circles are awaiting the results of this competition between Al-Hayya and Meshaal, because of its implications for the trends of the political and field movement in the coming period. While Al-Hayya represents a great influence at home and in the Gaza Strip, Meshaal has extensive diplomatic experience and extensive regional relations, which makes the identity of the winner the focus of attention of observers of Palestinian and international affairs.