GAZA: Yehya al-Sinwar, the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has been chosen to replace the late Ismail Haniyeh as leader of the Palestinian group.
Al-Sinwar's promotion within Iran-backed Hamas was announced on Telegram on Tuesday.
Sinwar is 62 and has been given four consecutive life sentences.
He was released from Israeli prison in 2011 and he has rocketed to an influential position in Hamas, leading it in Gaza.
He is accused of being a mastermind of the October 7 attacks into southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took around 250 people hostage.
But despite Israel's nearly 10-month air and ground offensive in Gaza, al-Sinwar has seemingly eluded the Israeli forces trying to hunt him down.
Haniyeh was killed nearly a week ago in a targeted attack as he visited Tehran for the inauguration of Iran's new president.
Iran and its allies have promised harsh retaliation against Israel in response, sparking fears of a wider regional war.