First Two Women Elected as Representatives to the Hamas Political Bureau

Since 2007, the Sunni militant organisation, Hamas, has established control over the Gaza Strip territories, with elections taking place in the region for the first time in over a decade.

For the first time, women have been elected to the Hamas political bureau, the organisation's highest-ranking decision-making body, it was announced on Sunday.

"For the first time in its history, Hamas elected two female members of its political bureau in Gaza", the statement said. 

Jameelah al-Shanti and Fatmah Shurrab have been announced as members of the bureau, with Shurrab set to be the "head of Hamas women branch."

Internal elections in Hamas have been ongoing for the past few months, with voting conducted in Gaza, the West Bank and abroad. The first round of the election was wrapped up in late February.