Hamas, the Palestinian resistance movement, has confirmed the martyrdom of Yahya Sinwar in an Israeli attack.
According to Arab media, Khalil al-Hayya, Deputy Head of Hamas in Gaza, stated from Beirut that Yahya Sinwar was martyred while bravely fighting Israeli forces.
Al-Hayya added that Sinwar’s martyrdom has reignited the spirit of the Palestinian resistance movement and will prove to be a disaster for the occupying state of Israel.
He further stated, “Yahya Sinwar achieved the great honor of martyrdom, standing firm against the enemy until his last breath. He fought courageously and joined the ranks of our great martyrs and leaders who sacrificed their lives for the nation.”
Al-Hayya also highlighted that Sinwar continued his struggle despite imprisonment, achieving freedom in a prisoner swap deal in 2011. After his release, he remained committed to the cause, ultimately embracing martyrdom.
Israel claimed earlier that Sinwar was killed in an airstrike targeting a building in Rafah, Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed the death, calling it a turning point that would mark the end of any ceasefire efforts.
Who was Yahya Sinwar?
Born on October 19, 1962, in a refugee camp in Khan Younis, Yahya Ibrahim Hassan al-Sinwar received his early education locally and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Arabic from the Islamic University of Gaza. He served on the university’s student council for five years, eventually becoming its chairman and vice-chairman.
Sinwar’s delayed marriage was a result of his long imprisonment and armed struggle. After his release in 2011, his wedding took place at a mosque in Gaza. He soon became one of the leading figures in Hamas’ resistance movement.
Sinwar was entrusted with maintaining communication between Hamas’ political wing and its military arm, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. In 2014, after Israel’s aggression ended, he conducted an internal review of the field commanders’ performance, resulting in several major leaders being replaced.
In 2015, the U.S. added Sinwar, along with senior Hamas leaders Mohammed Deif and Rawhi Mushtaha, to its international terrorist blacklist.
On February 13, 2017, Sinwar was elected as the head of Hamas’ political wing in Gaza, replacing Ismail Haniyeh. Khalil al-Hayya became his deputy. In 2021, he was re-elected for a second term, solidifying his status as the de facto ruler of Gaza and the second most powerful figure in Hamas after Ismail Haniyeh.
A 2017 report by The Guardian highlighted that Sinwar’s leadership helped end the internal discord between Hamas’ political and military wings, reshaping the organization’s policies to address Gaza’s challenges more effectively.
In May 2018, Sinwar surprised many by announcing on Al Jazeera that Hamas would adopt peaceful resistance. This move aimed to remove the terrorist label from Hamas and open the door to negotiations with Israel. However, a week prior to this announcement, Sinwar urged Gaza residents to break free from Israel’s oppression, declaring, “We prefer to die as martyrs rather than live in subjugation, and thousands will join us in this sacrifice.”
In March 2021, Sinwar was re-elected, further consolidating his influence over Gaza. In May of the same year, Israel bombed his home in Khan Younis, but no casualties were reported. A week later, he was seen walking through Gaza’s streets, taking selfies, and challenging Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, saying, “I will walk home on my own two feet, and you have 60 minutes to kill me.”
During the current conflict in Gaza, Sinwar had offered Israel a prisoner exchange deal, proposing to release all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. However, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected the offer and launched a ground offensive, resulting in further losses of Israeli troops and military vehicles.
In August, Yahya Sinwar was appointed the leader of Hamas following the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
