Sinwar's shadow man and the propaganda snake's head: Who is Ali al-Ammoudi?

The article profiles Ali al-Ammoudi, a senior Hamas figure identified as the de facto successor to Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip. Al-Ammoudi, a former security prisoner released in the Shalit deal, became Sinwar's bureau chief and the architect of the organization's communication strategy. After the war, he is making changes to Hamas mechanisms and running for the head of the political bureau in Gaza, amid internal disputes over the appointment process.

The Maariv article presents a profile of Ali al-Ammoudi, a senior Hamas figure identified as the de facto successor to Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip. Al-Ammoudi, a former security prisoner released in the Gilad Shalit deal in 2011, formed a close bond with Sinwar in Israeli prison. After their release, he became one of his closest confidants, served as Sinwar's bureau chief from 2017 to 2021, and was elected to Hamas's political bureau in 2021, where he took over the information portfolio. Captured Hamas documents portray him as a central architect of the organization's communication strategy, which includes promoting the Palestinian narrative, undermining Israel's legitimacy, and psychological warfare. After the war, he is making extensive changes to Hamas mechanisms, ousting managers and appointing people identified with the Sinwar camp. These moves have sparked opposition among some of Hamas's leadership. Al-Ammoudi is running against Nizar Awadallah for the head of the political bureau in Gaza, but the vote has reached a deadlock. The article notes that his survival, closeness to Sinwar, and familiarity with the organization's mechanisms have made him a central figure in the struggle over Hamas's character in the post-Sinwar brothers era.