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Has the military wing tightened its grip over Hamas?

The election of military leader Yahya Sanwar as the head of Hamas’ political bureau in Gaza has raised questions on the movement’s policy at home and abroad and the military wing’s grip over the movement.

TOPSHOT - Members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, attend a memorial in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah on January 31, 2017, for Mohamed Zouari, a 49-year-old Tunisian engineer and drone expert, who was murdered at the wheel of his car outside his house in Tunisia in December 2016. 
The armed wing of Hamas said that the Jewish state was responsible for the murder in eastern Tunisia, of Mohamed Zaouari, described as a leader of the Islami
Members of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, attend a memorial in Rafah, southern Gaza, Jan. 31, 2017. — SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images

All Palestinians have been focused on Hamas’ internal elections, which started Feb. 3 in Gaza and ended with Yahya Sanwar at the head of Hamas’ political bureau in Gaza.

Sanwar succeeds Ismail Haniyeh, who is competing to replace Khaled Meshaal as the political bureau head at home and abroad. Meshaal’s term will expire in late March.

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