By Yasser El-Banna, IOL Correspondent

GAZA CITY, April 18 (IslamOnline.net) - The Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas will not unveil the identity of its new leader in the Gaza Strip in response to the call from its top leader Khaled Meshaal, the group said Sunday, April 18.

"According to the group's internal regulations, Hamas has filled the place of Rantissi and after an appeal from Khaled Meshaal, we have decided not to announce his name," said a Hamas statement, a copy of which was obtained by IslamOnline.net.

The decision followed the assassination of Hamas newly-appointed leader in Gaza Abdelaziz Rantissi in an Israeli missile strike late Saturday, April 17.

Meshaal, the head of Hamas politburo and its number one, said ex officio that Hamas should not make public the name of its new leader in Gaza for security considerations.

A chorus of Palestinian analysts hailed the decision, expecting the movement to make such an about-face in its policy to counter the Israeli onslaughts to liquidate its leaders.

They agreed that Hamas would strike the right balance between its public and underground activities.

"Hamas will be more cautious and cagier in this juncture, bearing in mind the assassination of two of its veteran leaders Rantissi and Sheikh Ahmad Yassin," Ghazi Hamad, an expert in Islamic movements, told IOL.

He believed that the latest Israeli attack will turn things upside down and force Hamas to go underground, given that all of its leaders are on the Israeli hit list.

"Hamas leaders should now steer clear of public appearances like festivals, symposia and media."

Hamad said the absence of Hamas prominent leaders will send shock waves across the movement, since "it is not easy to fill the vacuum left by such historic leaders".

"Yet, I'm pretty sure that Hamas will take this crisis into its stride, thanks to its widespread popularity."

Hamad asserted that Hamas "prides itself on its huge resources and a myriad of well-educated people and seasoned politicians.

"I believe Hamas can inject new blood into its activities."

Lessons

Hani Al-Masri, a Ramallah-based writer and political analyst, said Hamas should now draw important lessons from these incidents and take in-depth measures to thwart the Israeli plots.

"The assassinations won't end the resistance, but they represent a victory for Israel and a moral blow to the Palestinians," he told IOL.

"Hamas has no option now but to be somehow cloaked in secrecy, otherwise it will be depleted. It should balance between its public and secret activities."

Abdel Sattar Qasim, professor of politics in An-Najah University, agreed that it is wise of Hamas to not reveal the name of its new Gaza leader "but it came too late".

He said the latest developments will see a major policy shift for Hamas to face the daunting challenges ahead.

"There is a contradiction between the agenda of Hamas, which opts for armed resistance, and the Muslim Brotherhood, which calls for peaceful resistance.

"The agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood, the origin of Hamas, doesn't suit Hams, which should adopt another approach to serve the [armed] resistance," Qasim said.

He believed that Hamas would not resort only to "martyr operations" but "more painful acts against Israel".

Mohammad Ghazal, a Hamas leader, said Saturday that the movement would not be weakened by Rantissi killing.

The whole world slammed Israel for its extrajudicial execution of Rantissi, with the European Union dubbing it "unlawful and provocative". Washington alone, however, defended Israel.