Muhammad Awda Expected to Lead Hamas in Gaza as Movement Reorganizes

Muhammad Awda is expected to become the new leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip as the Palestinian militant organization attempts to reorganize its structures. According to reports, Awda was previously tasked with gathering intelligence about Israeli military bases along the Gaza border and identifying weak points in the Israeli Defense Forces' Gaza Division prior to the October 7 attacks. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, and Israel, has been restructuring its leadership following significant losses during the ongoing conflict with Israel that began with the group's surprise attack on October 7, 2023.