Newly appointed Hamas political leader Yahya Sinwar has signaled his intention to reject any ceasefire agreement that doesn’t meet his outrageous demands.

According to The National, citing sources close to Egyptian mediators, Sinwar quickly contacted negotiators following his elevation to political leadership on Tuesday. He laid out strict conditions for ending the war, demanding Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza and the freeing of high-profile Arab terrorists.

Sinwar has also expressed strong opposition to any future scenario where the Palestinian Authority governs Gaza or where international forces are deployed in the territory.

“A ceasefire and a prisoner and hostage swap between Hamas and Israel now looks very unlikely. The negotiations may resume at some point, but Hamas will take a hardline position and there may not be a ceasefire,” one source says. “He has the full support of Hamas and other Palestinian ‘resistance’ groups, and that means Yahya Sinwar will be unwilling to make concessions.”

Despite being unseen for months, Sinwar has played a key role in negotiations through secure communications channels. He reportedly uses sophisticated jamming devices and frequently changes secure lines to avoid detection by Israeli forces, who have placed a $400,000 bounty on his head.

Sinwar has been expressing his demands via written and audio messages, relayed by his trusted aide Khalil Al Hayah to Egyptian mediators. Al Hayah has also spoken on Sinwar’s behalf during months of talks between Hamas and Israel, facilitated by mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar.

Those messages are expected to intensify given his new political role following the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.