Four Hamas sources inside and outside the Gaza Strip told Asharq Al-Awsat in separate accounts that the runoff election to choose the head of the movement’s political bureau in Gaza had been suspended after the first round, held three weeks ago, failed to produce a result. The sources agreed that the first round failed to produce a decisive result because eligible voters cast blank ballots, repeating a phenomenon that had occurred during the election to choose the overall head of the political bureau last May. That election went to a second round, which Khalil Al-Hayya won over Khaled Meshaal. Three sources from inside and outside the Gaza Strip also said that the suspension of the runoff for the leadership of Hamas’s Gaza political bureau came after Nizar Awadallah, who is based outside Gaza and is running against Ali Al-Amoudi, who is based inside the Strip, challenged some of the procedures followed during the runoff. Both are members of the political bureau. The fourth source, who is outside Gaza, said that “other disagreements” had also contributed to the temporary suspension of the election, which is expected to resume soon after “some arrangements” are made, without providing further details. The source described these as “normal disagreements, within the framework of the laws and regulations governing any electoral process within the movement.” Some sources attributed part of the delay in reaching a decision to “the security situation and the circumstances facing the Strip, as well as the challenges of conducting elections in the aftermath of the Gaza war.” Another source said the election was being held while Israel was tracking substantial intelligence aimed at trying to locate participants in the election and others. These factors, the source said, had contributed to legal gaps that led to the current situation. Why Have Blank Ballots Returned? Regarding the renewed use of blank ballots, two sources inside the Gaza Strip said this was a normal outcome stemming from differences over the competing figures and the approach they might pursue, which some viewed as unsuitable for the current phase, as had also occurred in the general election. None of the sources specified whether the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Khalil Al-Hayya, supports either of the two candidates, Ali Al-Amoudi or Nizar Awadallah. Hamas is going through an exceptionally complex period, unlike any it has experienced since its establishment in 1987, following the October 7, 2023 attack it launched against Israeli sites and towns adjacent to the Gaza Strip, which prompted Israel to wage a prolonged war. What Do We Know About Ali Al-Amoudi? Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat in December that Al-Amoudi, a former prisoner and member of the political bureau who was responsible for the movement’s media division before the war, had become responsible for running the political bureau’s affairs in the Gaza Strip. He was appointed, along with a number of associates of the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, to manage the movement in the Strip. Most of them are based in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Al-Amoudi, who was released in 2011 as part of the prisoner exchange deal involving Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, has emerged over the past year as a central figure in the administration of the Gaza Strip. He was among Sinwar’s closest associates during their imprisonment in Israeli prisons and after their release. He frequently accompanied Sinwar at meetings, events and other engagements. He was appointed through an endorsement and consultation process to manage the Strip, while some sources at the time said the move had circumvented the movement’s internal regulations. This may help explain the holding of the internal election in Gaza. In recent months, considerable controversy has arisen over Al-Amoudi’s decisions in Gaza, including changes he made and the dismissal of officials from their positions. This reportedly caused anger among local leaders in the Strip and prompted some members of the political bureau outside Gaza to intervene in an attempt to resolve the resulting disputes. What Do We Know About Nizar Awadallah? Nizar Awadallah is considered one of Hamas’s founding generation. He secretly led the movement’s political bureau during the period from late 2004 to early 2007. He also played a prominent role in several important stages in the movement’s modern history, including leading the negotiations over the Shalit prisoner exchange deal and taking an active and important part in negotiations during the most recent war. He also played a significant role in Palestinian reconciliation talks held in several capitals following Hamas’s takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007. Awadallah was very close to Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas, as well as Abdel Aziz Al-Rantisi and other early and historic leaders of the movement, of whom he was one. Awadallah, a 68-year-old architect, rose to prominence. He lives in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, and his home has been struck several times during previous wars. During the last internal elections, held in 2021, Awadallah competed against Yahya Sinwar for leadership of Hamas’s political bureau in the Gaza Strip. He lost to Sinwar after a second runoff was held. Clarify the opening election sequenceFix Awadallah’s biography paragraph
