Yahya Sinwar: ruthless operator who plotted Hamas 7 October attack

Just a few days after the attacks on October 7 of last year, Israeli authorities pinpointed Yahya Sinwar, who was the military chief of Hamas in Gaza at the time, as the main orchestrator. They were increasingly shocked to discover that Sinwar not only came up with what he referred to as Operation al-Aqsa Flood, but he had also managed to plan and coordinate the entire attack mostly by himself.

Only a small group of trusted advisors knew about the plans, with some of them being informed just days before the assault. The attack resulted in the deaths of roughly 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, and saw 250 people taken captive. This, in turn, sparked an Israeli military response that has already led to the deaths of around 42,500 individuals, mostly civilians as well, and left large areas of Gaza devastated.

Sinwar was born in a refugee camp in Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza. His parents had to escape their homes when Israel was established in 1948. As a teenager, he became involved in Islamist activities during a period of rising religious fervor throughout the Middle East. While studying science at the Islamic University of Gaza in the early 1980s, he became inspired by Ahmed Yassin, a magnetic religious leader who founded a local chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood.

In 1987, Yassin brought Sinwar into the newly formed organization Hamas and appointed him to lead its emerging intelligence division. His responsibilities involved identifying and dealing with spies and anyone seen as a "collaborator" with Israel, as well as enforcing Hamas's stringent moral standards among the people in Gaza. Sinwar carried out these tasks with relentless resolve, later admitting to having killed several Palestinians.

Imprisoned in 1988 and sentenced to four life terms for attempted murder and sabotage, he spent over two decades in Israeli prisons. While incarcerated, Sinwar would not speak to any of the guards and took it upon himself to discipline fellow inmates who did, even forcing one to press his face against a makeshift stove, according to a former Israeli interrogator who worked at the facility where Sinwar was kept. “He is completely dedicated and extremely violent—a very tough individual,” the interrogator remarked.

Sinwar was a clever political strategist who chose to spend his time in prison studying his adversaries. He took the initiative to learn Hebrew and immersed himself in local newspapers and literature. During his incarceration, he even coordinated strikes to advocate for better working conditions. In 2008, he overcame brain cancer with the help of Israeli medical professionals. Additionally, he authored a semi-autobiographical book that portrayed life and activism in Gaza.

In 2011, although he was one of the over 1,000 inmates suggested for a prisoner exchange in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier taken by Hamas five years prior, Sinwar turned down the offer. Regardless, the exchange took place. After returning to Gaza, Sinwar got married, had children, and quickly resumed his role in militant activities. A journalist who spoke with him during that period described Sinwar as being so intensely focused that it felt as if nothing else mattered beyond his gaze.

Hamas took control of Gaza four years prior, and Sinwar quickly started to gather his own supporters. He stifled an effort by independent jihadist groups to gain a foothold in the area and is widely thought to have orchestrated the 2016 assassination of another high-ranking Hamas leader, Mahmoud Ishtewi, due to a power conflict.

Having established a strong reputation for his efficient and uncompromising leadership, Sinwar took control of Hamas in Gaza in 2018. He worked to strengthen the connections between the group's military and civil operations while gradually pushing the international political leaders to the sidelines.

Believing that taking Israeli soldiers hostage was the only way to secure the release of prisoners, which he considered a key part of Hamas's mission, Sinwar started strategizing a significant operation aimed at obtaining leverage for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

The exact moment he envisioned the attacks that occurred on October 7 is unknown, but it's likely that various ideas were explored over several years. In 2022, Israel discovered a Hamas strategy for a large-scale assault across the fence, which was named Jericho Wall. However, even though this plan was important, it was ultimately put aside because officials assumed the group wouldn't be able to carry out such an operation.

Sinwar created a deceptive front, tricking Israel into a sense of false safety with public remarks that were designed to mislead, occasionally bordering on honesty. In 2022, Hamas released a television show titled Fist of the Free, showcasing its fighters launching a large-scale attack on Israel. During a public event, Sinwar awarded prizes to everyone who worked on the series and commended them in a speech for its accuracy, stating that their efforts were “an essential part of our preparations.”

Analysts are split on whether Sinwar anticipated the fallout from the October 7 raid and what his main goals were. It's evident that he thought Hezbollah would come to support them with an offensive against Israel, which turned out to be a miscalculation. He might have also thought that Israel wouldn't take action against Gaza while so many hostages were in their hands. Some experts propose that Sinwar was willing to put Gaza and its people at risk for a larger purpose.

Following the assault on October 7, Sinwar disappeared from public view, bringing his family with him into the extensive tunnel system created by Hamas beneath Gaza. In August, he had been named the new leader of Hamas after Ismail Haniyeh died in an explosion in Tehran that was attributed to Israel. Until Thursday, he had been largely silent and unseen.

The details surrounding Sinwar's death are not completely known, but it seems that Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza confronted three armed individuals in a shootout. Afterward, they requested either an airstrike or artillery bombardment and later located his body amid the debris of a building. The reason why Sinwar was above ground and equipped with weapons is also uncertain. However, he met his end as he lived—firmly dedicated to Hamas, its beliefs, and a path of violence.