And who's next: Ali al-Ammudi, Hamas leader in Gaza
Ali al-Ammudi, the de facto leader of Hamas in Gaza, survived an assassination attempt a week ago and continues to lead the organization's rehabilitation. The article reviews his background: born in 1975 in Khan Yunis, joined Hamas during the First Intifada, participated in the murder of Shin Bet coordinator Noam Cohen in 1994, was sentenced to three life sentences, and released in the Shalit deal in 2011. In prison, he developed a close relationship with Yahya Sinwar. Since October 7, he has headed Hamas's emergency committee and is responsible for the Strip's governing bodies. After Sinwar's elimination in October 2024, he was appointed deputy leader of Hamas in the Strip. The article describes an internal struggle in Hamas: al-Ammudi is competing for the leadership of the political bureau against Nizar Awadallah, who is supported by Khaled Mashal. Al-Ammudi is backed by Khalil al-Hayya and represents a hawkish line. The article notes that even if al-Ammudi is eliminated, a gray successor will be found to ensure Hamas's continued grip on Gaza.
Ali al-Ammudi, the de facto leader of Hamas in Gaza, survived an assassination attempt a week ago and continues to lead the organization's rehabilitation. The article reviews his background: born in 1975 in Khan Yunis, joined Hamas during the First Intifada, participated in the murder of Shin Bet coordinator Noam Cohen in 1994, was sentenced to three life sentences, and released in the Shalit deal in 2011. In prison, he developed a close relationship with Yahya Sinwar. Since October 7, he has headed Hamas's emergency committee and is responsible for the Strip's governing bodies. After Sinwar's elimination in October 2024, he was appointed deputy leader of Hamas in the Strip. The article describes an internal struggle in Hamas: al-Ammudi is competing for the leadership of the political bureau against Nizar Awadallah, who is supported by Khaled Mashal. Al-Ammudi is backed by Khalil al-Hayya and represents a hawkish line. The article notes that even if al-Ammudi is eliminated, a gray successor will be found to ensure Hamas's continued grip on Gaza.