Tawfiq Abu Naim, a veteran political and security figure, has now emerged as the leading contender to head Hamas in Gaza, especially after the Israeli Occupation’s assassination campaign between 2023 and 2025, killing many of the group’s most prominent figures.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader, was among the few who had prior knowledge of Operation al-Aqsa Flood, which reshaped the Middle East.