Sinwar only took over as leader of Hamas a matter of weeks ago after the assassination of then leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on 31 July this year. No-one has claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s death but it is widely assumed the Israelis did it. They have not commented.

Hamas is likely to name Qatar-based Khalil al-Hayya as a successor to slain leader Yahya Sinwar, aligning it closer to Iran and giving its main backer more sway in the next stage of the group’s war with Israel.

JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Pledges from Israel and its enemies Hamas and Hezbollah to keep fighting in Gaza and Lebanon dashed hopes on Friday that the death of Palestinian militant leader Yahya Sinwar might hasten an end to more than a year of escalating war in the Middle East.