The Hamas temporary committee is a five-person ruling committee that was formed by Hamas following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh on 31 July 2024 to facilitate decision-making given the difficulty of communicating with the newly appointed chairman, Yahya Sinwar, who was based in the Gaza Strip. The committee is based in Doha, Qatar and is tasked with making strategic decisions and governing Hamas during the Israel–Hamas war and "exceptional circumstances". It is made up of five members, including Khaled Mashal, Khalil al-Hayya, Zaher Jabarin, who represent the Palestinian diaspora, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, respectively, as well as chairman of the Shura council Mohammed Darwish, and an unnamed official who serves as the political bureau's secretary.[1][2]
Following the killing of Yahya Sinwar in Rafah on 16 October, the committee initially discussed the possibility of appointing a single successor, but eventually opted to rule through the committee until the scheduled Hamas leadership elections in March 2025.[3][4][5]
On 24 October, Hamas confirmed that it is discussing a successor to Yahya Sinwar and that it will announce their name once the selection process is complete.[6]
