The refugee and prisoner who led Hamas

Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader and Israel’s most wanted target, is eliminated in operation; Tension rises as Hamas seeks new command

Yahya Sinwar, considered Israel’s most wanted man, would have been killed in Gaza during an operation that took place in Wednesday.

On Thursday, the Israeli Foreign MinisterIsrael Katz, stated that Israel eliminated the leader of Hamasin a message sent to his diplomatic colleagues around the world.

Os Israeli military also confirmed on Thursday the death of Sinwar.

To date, the Hamas yet not confirmed the murder.

Previously, the Israeli army mentioned that he was checking the possibility of Sinwar’s death through forensic examinations e DNA testsfollowing an operation in Gaza that aimed to eliminate him.

The army declared that “three terrorists were eliminated“, adding that the military and the security service of the Shin Bet they were “verifying the possibility that one of the terrorists was Yahya Sinwar“.
“In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of the presence of hostages in the area“, reported the Israeli army.

At 62 years oldSinwar became leader of Hamas in August, just days after the death of his predecessor, Ismail Haniyehin an Israeli attack carried out on Tehran.

From student activist to long-term prisoner

Sinwar was born in 1962 not refugee camp Khan Younisnot south of Gaza.

His parents were forcibly displaced from your home in Askhelon by Zionist militias in 1948during a Nakba (catastrophe), when 750,000 Palestinians were expelled of their lands.

He studied Arabic studies already Islamic University of Gazawhere he had his first contact with student politics e activism.

It was at university, in 1982that he was first arrested by Israeli authorities due to his involvement in anti-occupation activism.

Three years later he was arrested again and met Ahmed Yassinwho would later found Hamas. Yassin brought Sinwar into his inner circle.

Sinwar then co-founded the Munazzamat al-Jihad w’al-Dawaor Thenwhich was created to identify and eliminate Palestinian collaborators with Israel. This became the first security apparatus of the newly formed Hamas.

Em 1988he was arrested again by Israeli forces and this time he received four life sentencestotaling 426 years in prison.

He was accused of involvement in the kidnapping and death of two Israeli soldiers and four alleged Palestinian spies, triggering a prison sentence 23 years in Israeli prisons.

During his captivity, he learned Hebrewoften reading Israeli newspapers and delving deeper into Israeli politics and culture. According to him, this helped him to understand your enemy better.

He also wrote a romancetitled The Thorn and the Nailinspired by his life experiences in Gaza.

Em 2011the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahuagreed to a deal that allowed release of 1,047 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalitan Israeli soldier kidnapped in 2006.

Sinwar was one of most important prisoners to be released as part of that agreement.

Rise to the top of Hamas

After his release, he quickly rose through the ranks of Hamas and, within just a year, was elected to the political office of the movement.

He was in charge, in particular, of coordinate with the Qassam Brigadesthe armed wing of Hamas.

Sinwar was heavily involvedboth politically and militarily, in Hamas’ efforts during the seven week war with Israel in the summer of 2014. Months after this war, the USA added you to a list of “specially designated global terrorist”.

Em 2017he became the head of Hamas in Gazaa position he held until a few months ago.

Also in 2017he led the reconciliation negotiations of Hamas with the Fatah ea Palestinian Authority (PA) under the supervision of the Egyptwith whom he maintained close security ties.

“[Sinwar] is a strong supporter of Palestinian unity,” he said Bassem Naima Hamas official, Middle East Eye earlier this year.

His tactics involved both non-violent actions How much armed actions.

Em 2018he played a leading role in organizing the peaceful protests of the “Great March of Return”which required the end of the siege on Gaza and the right of return for refugees. These protests were brutally repressed by Israeli forces, who killed 230 protesters.

Sinwar also led the Operation Sword of Jerusalemthe name given by Hamas to its response to the Israeli bombing in Gaza between the 6th and 21st of May 2021.

Most notably, he is believed to have been the architect of Operation Al-Aqsa Floodthe name given by the Palestinian group to the attack on October 7, 2023.

This surprise attack on scroll of Israel resulted in death of more than 1,100 people by you capture of another 250taken to Gaza.

Since then, Israeli forces have killed more than 42,000 Palestinians.

During the conflict, Sinwar was not seen publicly.

Several Israeli prisoners who were later released reported seeing or speaking to Sinwar nos tunnels.

In August, a week after the assassination of the then political head of Hamas, HaniyehSinwar was chosen as successor.

It was a surprising and bold decision: many expected that Khaled Meshaalbased on Dohaassume the position again.

“By unifying the military and political leadership on a man as powerful as Sinwar, Hamas sends a message of unity and resilience“, he stated Khaled Hroubexpert on Hamas, MEE at the time.

The measure indicated that the Hamas leaders based in Gazaunder Sinwar’s leadership, continued to gain importance within the organization, while those based in Doha and abroad were marginalized.

His rise also demonstrated the importance of Hamas’ relationship with Iran.

Sinwar had a close relationship with Tehranunlike Meshaal, whose ties with Iran became strained after he distanced himself from the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria after the start of syrian civil war.

These discussions will likely need to be taken up again by the Hamas hierarchy as they seek to choose another new leader.

With information from Middle East Eye