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BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) issued a statement on the 6th saying that Hamas' leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, has become the leader of the Hamas Political Bureau, replacing Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated last week.

This is Yahya Sinwar (file photo) taken in Gaza City on May 1, 2017. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Wissam Nassar)

The mainstream faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), and Lebanon's Hezbollah welcomed the decision. Israel made a strong statement, saying that it would "quickly eliminate" Sinwar.

Who is Sinwar?

After Hamas issued a statement, its spokesman Osama Hamdan told Qatar's Al Jazeera that Sinwar had led Hamas's combat operations against the Israeli army since the outbreak of this round of conflict. His becoming the new leader of Hamas's Political Bureau means that Hamas' "will has not been diminished" and it will continue to "maintain a firm stance" in both "combat and politics."

Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran on July 31. Both Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of carrying out the assassination. Israel has neither admitted nor denied carrying out the assassination. The Israeli government and military have publicly stated that they want to eliminate Hamas leaders.