With the #political & #military leaders of #Hamas kept separate —geographically & organizationally— it is unclear to what extent political leaders such as #Haniyeh knew about the #Oct7 attack. Hamas took power in #Gaza in 2007, following an election* to determine who would preside over the enclave after #Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip in 2005. No elections have been held since 2006. Haniyeh was chosen by members of the group to be president of its political bureau in 2017.
#war #MiddleEast