Hamas To Be Led By Doha-Based Ruling Committee Until March: Report

Palestine-based Hamas is likely to be governed by a Doha-based ruling committee rather than a single successor to its chief Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli troops last week. The ruling committee is likely to govern the group until their next elections scheduled for March, according to a report.A five-member committee was formed in August following the assassination of political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The committee "will take over the leadership of the group", news agency AFP reported quoting a source.The committee was formed to facilitate decision-making in view of the challenges faced in communicating with Sinwar in Gaza before his death.Sinwar had been looking after the group's administration in Gaza since 2017, before rising to become the overall leader of Hamas after Haniyeh was assassinated in July.The five-member committee reportedly includes representatives of the two Palestinian territories and the community, namely Khalil al-Hayya for Gaza, Zaher Jabarin for the West Bank and Khaled Meshaal for Palestinians abroad.It also consists the head of Hamas's Shura advisory council Mohammed Darwish and the secretary of the political bureau, who is never identified for security reasons.All current members of the committee are based in Qatar.The committee is tasked with "governing the movement during the war and exceptional circumstances, as well as its future plans", the AFP report said.It is authorised to "make strategic decisions".Sinwar, the architect of the October 7 attack, was killed by Israeli troops in southern Gaza Wednesday.