Yahya Sinwar: the ruthless architect of Hamas’s October 7 attack

For over a year, Israel's top target managed to evade capture while the Israeli military pursued him through the devastated areas of Gaza. However, their persistent efforts to locate Yahya Sinwar ultimately concluded in a destroyed building in the southern part of the besieged territory.

On Thursday, Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz, announced that Israeli soldiers had killed Sinwar, labeling it a significant victory both militarily and morally. However, Hamas has yet to confirm the death of their leader, who was responsible for planning the group's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Since the incident a little over a year ago when Hamas fighters emerged from Gaza and went on a rampage in southern Israel, Sinwar quickly became a primary target for Israel.

The 61-year-old, who has been the head of Hamas in the coastal region since 2017, was quickly recognized by Israel as the mastermind behind the cross-border attack. According to Israeli officials, this assault resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, and around 250 people were taken hostage.

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initiated Israel's intense response against Gaza, he referred to Sinwar as a "dead man walking." Eliminating him became a key goal in Netanyahu's commitment to dismantling Hamas.

As tens of thousands of Israeli soldiers entered Gaza, Sinwar managed to avoid being caught. Although he hasn't appeared in public since the Hamas attack in 2023, it's thought that he has been taking refuge in the extensive tunnel system, moving between different spots while Israel relentlessly bombarded the area from the air, ground, and sea.

Large areas of the enclave have been reduced to piles of debris during an assault that claimed over 42,000 lives, based on reports from Palestinian health officials. Yet, there was still no indication of Sinwar's whereabouts.

In February, the IDF shared a blurry video that allegedly depicted him and his family in a dimly lit tunnel beneath Khan Younis, the southern Gaza city where he was born in a refugee camp. Despite this, he continued to evade capture, even after Israeli airstrikes took out his top commanders, Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa.

Last month, Sinwar made a rare appearance, releasing a number of statements and "letters." He sent one to the president of Algeria to congratulate him on winning re-election, another to Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah, just before his assassination, and a third message to their allies, the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

He also commended the Palestinian "resistance," noting that it was getting ready for a prolonged conflict with Israel.

In the last few weeks, Israel has turned its attention towards Hizbollah in Lebanon while still intensifying its attacks on Gaza and searching for Sinwar.

Sinwar gained recognition within Hamas soon after the group was established during the first Palestinian uprising, known as the intifada, in the 1980s. He started off as an advisor to Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the movement's founder, who was in a wheelchair.

He played a key role in establishing the group's military faction, the Qassam Brigades, which has suffered significant losses due to Israel's prolonged military campaign. Additionally, he headed Hamas's infamous internal security division, responsible for tracking down Palestinians believed to be working with Israel.

Sinwar's fierce nature led to him being called the "butcher of Khan Younis." In the late 1980s, during Israel's occupation of Gaza, he was captured by Israeli forces for killing individuals who were working with them, resulting in several life sentences.

After spending over 22 years in an Israeli prison, he rose to become the leader of the incarcerated Hamas members and took the opportunity to learn Hebrew, immersing himself in the language of his adversaries.

An Israeli intelligence analysis of Sinwar from this period aimed to convey his personality. It characterized him as “harsh . . . commanding, persuasive, respected by his peers, and possessing remarkable strengths in perseverance, cleverness, and manipulation. He is satisfied with little . . . maintains secrets even while imprisoned with other inmates . . . has a knack for rallying large groups.”

He was ultimately freed in a 2011 prisoner exchange, where over 1,000 Palestinians were released in return for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been captured by Hamas in Gaza.

Israeli officials who have interacted with Sinwar portray him as a magnetic individual who speaks sparingly, has a short fuse, and carries a strong presence. Among Palestinians, he has achieved almost legendary status as a leader of the “resistance” against Israel, instilling both fear and respect.

When he was released, Hamas had completely taken over Gaza. Israel had withdrawn from the area in 2005, and in the next year, Hamas, which has both a political and military presence, won the Palestinian elections. In 2007, they gained control of the territory following a civil conflict with the opposing Fatah group.

Ten years later, Hamas chose him to be their leader in Gaza, with Sinwar taking over from Ismail Haniyeh. This change was interpreted as a shift towards hardliners from the military side gaining control over the more moderate groups.

Sinwar was at the helm of Hamas in Gaza during an 11-day clash with Israel in 2021. However, Israel believed that Hamas was discouraged from instigating a major conflict and was instead focused on negotiating a larger deal with Israel. In the weeks leading up to October 7, 2023, Israel was engaged in discussions aimed at increasing the number of work permits for residents of Gaza to work in Israel.

However, on October 7, it became clear that Sinwar had been secretly planning what would turn out to be the most lethal attack on Israel since the country was established 75 years ago.

As the conflict in Gaza continued, Sinwar and Haniyeh, the political leader of the group who resides in Doha, played key roles in the diplomatic initiatives aimed at freeing hostages and bringing the war to an end.

Haniyeh served as the main negotiator for Hamas, working with mediators from Qatar and Egypt. He communicated messages through a hidden channel to Sinwar, who had the ultimate decision-making power in Gaza.

In July, Haniyeh was believed to have been killed in an Israeli attack in Tehran, leading to Sinwar stepping up as the new political leader. This strengthened his control over the organization, even while he remained in the heavily damaged strip, where his forces faced relentless attacks and continued to dwindle in numbers.

Certain content failed to load. Please verify your internet connection or adjust your browser settings.

Both the US and Israel consistently held Sinwar responsible for the unsuccessful negotiations. Meanwhile, some pointed fingers at Netanyahu, who promised to press on with the military campaign until Israel secured “complete victory.”

"This was the unavoidable conclusion. Sooner or later, [Sinwar's] time was up, and he was fully aware of it," remarked a Western diplomat. "He placed his own country at risk due to his compulsive and troubling behavior."

Residents of Gaza are hoping that if Hamas verifies Sinwar's death, it will provide enough reason for Israel to halt its destructive military actions that have led to a humanitarian disaster.

An Arab diplomat stated that it’s premature to determine the consequences for Hamas if he were to die, as he was the driving force behind it all.

"The situation also hinges on the Israelis. Are they prepared to reach an agreement at this point—do they feel they have accomplished their goals regarding Gaza?" the diplomat noted. "It's also difficult to determine who might succeed Sinwar within Hamas. If he has indeed been killed, I'm not sure how much of the organization remains active in Gaza."

Further contributions by Mai Khaled based in London.