Hamas announced Monday evening the election of its former leader Khaled Meshaal as head of its foreign political office.

Hamas ended the first phase of internal elections last month that led to the re-election of Yahya Sinwar as head of its political office in Gaza.

The Israeli Occupation has imposed a tightened blockade by land, sea and air since 2007 on the impoverished sector, which is controlled by Hamas.

Meshaal, who is currently residing in Qatar, headed Hamas from 1996 to 2017, before being succeeded by Ismail Haniyeh to head the movement's general political bureau.

In a statement received by Agence France-Presse, the movement said that "within the framework of the internal periodic elections conducted by the movement in its various regions, the Shura Council abroad elected the fighter brother Khaled Mashaal as head of the movement abroad, and the fighter brother Musa Abu Marzouq as his deputy."

The movement indicated that it held its elections outside the Palestinian territories "despite the complex security conditions and an unprecedented health pandemic."

Hamas holds secret internal elections every four years to choose three political offices in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and abroad, in preparation for the election of the head of the General Political Bureau, who is considered the movement's president.

According to Hamas sources, the movement will elect the head of its general political office within a few weeks.

The source confirmed that Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and his deputy are competing for this position.

The first Palestinian legislative elections in 15 years are due to be held in May.

The Central Committee for Palestinian Elections announced last week that 36 lists had run for the legislative elections in the Palestinian territories.

The Israeli Occupation prohibits all Palestinian political activities in Occupied Jerusalem, but the Palestinian leadership insists that East Jerusalem residents be allowed to vote.