Yahya Sinwar’s appointment as Hamas’ political chief signifies a shift towards closer alignment with Iran, moving Hamas towards becoming an Iranian proxy similar to Hezbollah.

In a surprising turn of events following lengthy negotiations in Doha, Hamas has appointed Yahya Sinwar as its new political chief, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh, who was recently assassinated in Tehran. Since 2017, Sinwar has led Hamas from within the Gaza Strip, and his new role places him at the helm of the organization’s political wing. His promotion marks a significant shift within Hamas, sidelining more pragmatic figures like former politburo head Khaled Meshaal, who had broader exposure to the international political landscape.

Haniyeh, known for his strong ties with Iranian officials, left a void in Hamas’ leadership. Initially, it was widely believed that Khaled Meshaal would resume his former role as chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, a position he held from 1996 to 2017. However, in a move that took many by surprise, Iran reportedly vetoed Meshaal’s candidacy, instead throwing its full support behind Sinwar.

Meshaal’s criticism of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising made him a contentious figure in the eyes of Iran’s leadership. Additionally, his past opposition to Hamas’ increasing reliance on Tehran further alienated him from Iran’s favor. Although Hamas is predominantly a Sunni Islamist organization, and Iran is a hard-line Shiite regime, the two have often found common ground in their shared opposition to Israel. However, their relationship has been tumultuous, especially during the Syrian civil war, when Hamas’ tacit support for Sunni rebels clashed with Iran’s allegiance to the Assad regime. This led to a temporary rift, with Iran withdrawing its support for Hamas.

For years, after Jordan expelled Hamas from Amman in 1999, the organization maintained its external leadership headquarters in Damascus. But in January 2012, Khaled Meshaal abandoned the Damascus base, voicing his support for the Syrian opposition. Although Hamas and Syria announced the restoration of ties in June 2022, the Syrian regime and Iran remained wary of Hamas’ moderate faction led by Meshaal.

In contrast, Sinwar has cultivated close relations with Iran since becoming head of Hamas in Gaza in February 2017. His focus has been on strengthening Hamas’ military capabilities, particularly through its armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, which required substantial military aid. Sinwar formed a strategic alliance with Qassem Soleimani, the late commander of the Quds Force in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This partnership ensured a steady flow of weapons, funding, and military training from Iran, significantly bolstering Hamas’ military operations, including its recent attacks on Israel. Notably, Iran assisted Hamas in developing and producing rocket systems tailored to Gaza’s resources, enhancing the group’s ability to sustain its military campaigns.

Sinwar’s relationship with Iran has led him to position his faction within Hamas as an Iranian satellite, aligning more closely with Iran’s orbit than with the political leadership abroad. Alongside Mohammed Deif, Hamas’ top military commander in Gaza, Sinwar has reportedly distanced himself from the politburo in Doha, leading a rogue faction that prioritizes closer ties with Iran, where financial and military support is more abundant.

For Iran, which consistently seeks loyal and influential proxies in the Middle East, Sinwar and Deif represent valuable assets. Tehran has long viewed Hamas’ political leadership, which has also aligned with Turkey and Qatar, as unreliable and insufficiently loyal. Thus, Iran has favored Sinwar’s faction, which is fully committed to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s regime and more easily controlled through financial and military aid.

The recent appointment of Sinwar as the political chief reflects a power struggle within Hamas between Meshaal’s faction, which aligns with Sunni countries, and Sinwar’s faction, which is closer to the pro-Iranian axis. The outcome of this internal conflict has ultimately favored the latter. While Hamas has traditionally maintained a degree of political and strategic independence, focusing primarily on Palestinian interests, Sinwar’s rise signals a shift toward becoming a proxy group akin to Hezbollah, more aligned with Tehran’s interests than with its original cause.