Israel Hezbollah war: After Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s killing by the Israeli military forces on Wednesday, October 16, Hamas issued a statement noting that any ‘leader’s death’ does not signal an end for the group.

“Hamas each time became stronger and more popular, and these leaders became an icon for future generations to continue the journey towards a free Palestine,” the Hamas said, in its latest statement on Friday, reported CNN.

Following the death of top Hamas leaders like Ismail Haniyeh, and then Yahya Sinwar, there have been speculations about who would be the group’s next leader. From Sinwar’s younger brother Mohammed Sinwar to one of the founders of Hamas, Mousa Abu Marzouk, several names have been doing the rounds, stated reports.

Mohammed Sinwar

Yahya Sinwar’s younger brother Mohammed Sinwar is seen by many as his apparent heir. Like Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed is a hardcore militant who recently became Hamas’ military commander.

Mousa Abu Marzouk

Marzouk, the deputy chief of Hamas’ political bureau who helped found Hamas, could also be a contender for leading Hamas next. He spent five years living in the United States before the FBI designated him as a terrorist, after which he was deported.

Khaled Meshaal

Meshaal, Hamas’ former political chief, is well known internationally. He is known to have met with top officials including former United States President Jimmy Carter, Jordan’s king Abdullah II and Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the past.

Al Hayya

Yahya Sinwar’s deputy Khalil Al Hayya is seen as another powerful contender for the role. Al Hayya was the chief negotiator for Hamas during recent ceasefire talks in Cairo, and is based out of Qatar.

Two of the top contenders, Khaled Meshaal and Al Hayya have been among Hamas’ top-ranking officials, who have also been the targets of Israeli assassination attempts in the past.