Jerusalem, Oct 20 : As many as five candidates could be in contention to become the next political bureau chief of Hamas following the killing of Yahya Sinwar by the Israeli forces earlier this week, a leading pan-Arab daily revealed on Sunday citing sources within the Palestinian militant group.

Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that discussions are currently underway within the organisation, with the participants in favour of keeping the name of the next leader a secret "due to the security challenges facing the movement".

The publication revealed that Chairman of the Hamas Shura Council Mohammed Darwish along with three members of the movement's politburo - Khalil al-Heya, Mohammed Nazzal and Khaled Meshaal - remain the frontrunners to succeed Sinwar.

Hamas sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that there is a "near consensus" within the movement's leadership, "both abroad and at home", on the matter of keeping the next leader's name under wraps.

The move, report mentioned, is aimed at giving the new official "more room to work and spare him Israeli prosecution, and to make it more difficult for Israel, which is working to assassinate most of the movement's leaders".

Sinwar was appointed head of Hamas' political bureau, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh who was killed in Tehran while attending the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's newly-elected President Masoud Pezeshkian in July, this year.

Israel claimed that Sinwar, 61, was the chief planner of the horrific October 2023 attacks that killed 1200 people in Israel and resulted in over 250 being taken as hostages.

He remained at large in Gaza's extensive tunnel network for over one year.

"Today evil has suffered a heavy blow, but the task before us is not yet complete," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his first reaction after the Hamas chief's killing.

Israel has made it clear that it will continue to pursue and eliminate all those who threaten its citizens. The Israeli Defence Forces and security agencies have maintained that they will not stop until all the terrorists who were involved in 7/10 are eliminated and all the abductees return home.

/IANS