New leader elected to lead Hamas in Gaza

Yahya Sanwar has been elected to lead Hamas in the Gaza Strip after internal elections were held for the organization's institutional and leadership positions, according to reports from Al Jazeera.

Khalil al-Haya has been chosen to serve as Sanwar’s deputy.

Sanwar was was on the most senior officials released by Israel in the Shalit deal in which hundreds of terrorists and political prisoners were released in exchange for the return of captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

He has developed a reputation as being among the most radical in Hamas, and is thought of as the link between the military and political wing the terror organization.