The report suggests that Israel’s targeted killings of key figures across the terrorist group’s military, political and governmental wings have significantly disrupted its chain of command and altered the decision-making structure within the organization.
Assassination of senior Hamas official Ismail Barhoum caught on camera during Al Jazeera live broadcast
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Assassination of senior Hamas official Ismail Barhoum at the Al Nasr Hospital in Khan Younis
According to the report, Hamas now faces a severe organizational vacuum. Israeli strikes have disrupted salary payments to Hamas government employees in Gaza, with political and military ranks receiving only about 60% of their pay during Eid al-Fitr. Hamas sources blamed the internal disarray and Israeli surveillance of financial officials for the delays.
The current head of this council is Muhammad Darwish, who took over following the killing of Osama al-Mazini in the early days of the war in October 2023. While the political bureau reportedly has over 20 members, the current leadership council consists of only 5 to 7 individuals.
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Some of the last surviving members of Hamas’ political bureau — Muhammad Darwish, Zaher Jabarin, Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Mashal
(Photo: AP Photo/Osama Faisal)
Speaking to Reuters, Hamas officials insisted the group maintained an effective governance system throughout the war. Former Hamas Prime Minister Essam al-Da’alis reportedly continued to oversee civil governance, moving discreetly between institutions and communicating largely via handwritten notes.
Despite recent setbacks, Hamas sources cited in Asharq Al-Awsat emphasized the group’s long-standing resilience. “The movement has the human resources to rebuild,” one official said. “Palestinian factions have taken hits for decades but always reemerge stronger.”
Hamas may consider stepping away from civil governance in Gaza to relieve internal pressure, but it has no intention of relinquishing its weapons, the sources added. They also claimed the group holds additional “bargaining chips” beyond hostages, though they did not specify what those were.
