Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar: who is he?

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar: who is he?

The Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, considered one of the architects of the militant group's October 7, 2023 terror attack and Israel's most wanted man, was killed in Gaza on Wednesday, according to the Israeli military.

The role of Yahya Sinwar in Hamas

Sinwar was one of the main goals of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. Israeli officials referred to him by various names, including "the face of evil" and "the butcher of Khan Younis." Sinwar used to be a very public figure, but he had not been seen since the October 2023 attacks. He probably survived the past year of the Israeli siege in Gaza by hiding in an extensive network of tunnels.

The rise to leadership

In August 2023, Sinwar became one of Hamas's most senior leaders after his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran. However, Sinwar had long been a key figure within the militant group. He joined Hamas in the late 1980s and quickly rose through its ranks. Sinwar founded the feared international intelligence security branch, the Majd, and was known for using brutal force against anyone suspected of working with the Israelis.

Early years and imprisonment

Sinwar was born in 1962 in a refugee camp in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. His family was expelled from the Palestinian village of Al-Majdal, now Israeli Ashkelon, during the Arab-Israeli War. In the early 1980s, Sinwar enrolled at the Islamic University in Gaza, where he studied Arabic, became involved in Palestinian nationalist student organizations, and was imprisoned for his participation in anti-occupation activities.

Life sentence and strategies

In 1988, Sinwar was sentenced to four life sentences in Israel on charges of organizing the murder of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel. During his incarceration, Sinwar is said to have abused and manipulated his fellow prisoners. He claimed to have studied his enemies during his years in prison, including learning the Hebrew language through the Open University.

Prisoner release and seizure of power

In 2011 he was released as part of a prisoner exchange that exchanged more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier who had been held in Gaza for five years. Sinwar called the exchange “one of the great strategic monuments in the history of our cause.” His release was justified on the grounds that his brother was one of Shalit's kidnappers, who insisted that Sinwar be included in the deal.

Political strategies and international relations

After returning to Gaza, Sinwar began working his way up within the militant organization and became notorious for his violent treatment of suspects. While some saw Sinwar as a tough fighter, others saw him as a master strategist. Fifteen years into his imprisonment, he used his knowledge of Hebrew to persuade the Israeli public to call for a ceasefire with Hamas in an interview with an Israeli broadcaster. “We will not recognize Israel, but we are ready to conclude a long-term ceasefire with Israel that will bring calm and prosperity to the region,” he said.

Crisis management and leadership

Under Sinwar's leadership, Hamas launched the “March of Return” campaign Gazans have staged weekly protests near the Israeli border demanding that Israel lift the blockade and give Palestinians the right to return to their ancestral villages and towns. The demonstrations drew international attention and support from human rights groups.

End of his life and legacy

Sinwar was seen as a key decision-maker and was likely the main contact inside Gaza during intense negotiations over the return of hostages brought into the enclave by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attacks. During the war, he consolidated Hamas's leadership structure and became its most important figure, especially after the killing of other high-ranking Hamas officials.

In recent years, Sinwar has been designated a global terrorist by both the United States and the European Union and has been subject to sanctions by Britain and France.