Hamas on Sunday surprised the conservative elements in the Gaza Strip by naming Jamila al-Shanti as the first female delegate to its powerful Politburo – the terrorist group's highest decision-making body.
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Al-Shanti, a former Palestinian legislature, is the widow of Hamas terrorist mastermind Abd al-Aziz al-Rantisi, who Israel eliminated in 2004, during the Second Intifada.
"This confirms the Hamas movement's respect for Palestinian women, their struggle, heroism, and sacrifices," senior Hamas official Suheil al-Hindi tells Palestinian media outlet Dunya al-Watan.
Another female delegate, Fatman Sharab, was elected to Head of the Hamas women's movement. While this is a senior role within the terrorist group, Sharab will not be part of the Politburo.
Hamas has been holding a series of internal elections for the past few weeks. The vote is conducted in secret in Gaza, the West Bank, overseas, and in Israeli prisons.
The elections made headlines last week, as rumors that Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar had been ousted. However, following several rounds of votes, Sinwar, 58, fended off a challenge from Nizar Awadallah, one of Hamas' founders, and was elected for another, four-year term.
Sinwar is a former top member of the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades. He was jailed in Israel for over 20 years over his terrorist activities and was released in the 2011 Schalit prisoner exchange.
Awadallah, 64, has been a member of Hamas' politburo since 2009. The former head of the Majlis al-Shura – Hamas' Advisory Council – Awadallah was a confidant to Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmad Yassin. In 1989 he was imprisoned for six years by Israel due to his terrorist activity.
Awadallah is also believed to have close ties with the Iranian regime.
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