"Mashaal is the natural leader of Hamas and must stay so if Palestine is going to be liberated," said Salah Suheil, a 44-year-old man standing on waterlogged waste ground that served as the arena for Saturday's celebrations.
Hamas, which has just fought an eight-day conflict with Israel, has been holding a secret ballot for months to determine who should head the group. Expectations that a result would emerge during Mashaal's visit appeared unfounded."Hamas has not yet concluded its internal election and there is nothing new in this regard," a senior Hamas source told Reuters on Saturday.
