Title: Hamas Denies Appointment of Khaled Meshaal as Replacement for Haniyeh

Hamas has denied reports about the appointment of Khaled Meshaal as the new head of the political bureau of the movement, following the recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. The head of the foreign relations department for the Palestinian movement in Gaza, Bassem Naeem, told the Novosti agency, "There is nothing new regarding Hamas's internal workings." Naeem indicated that "the election of a new head for the political bureau of the movement must take place after a meeting of its advisory council, and only then will the new head of Hamas's political bureau be officially announced." A responsible source in Hamas stated, "We deny the appointment of a replacement for the late president Ismail Haniyeh, and we will announce it officially after the elections, which will take place following the advisory council meeting of the movement."