Yahya alSinwar. Photo: Al Jazeera via MEMRI
The number two of the terrorist group Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, who rules the Gaza Strip, is considered a “dead man” by the Israeli Defense Forces. Sinwar was responsible for directing the largest terrorist attack on Israeli soil last Saturday (7).
Terrorist Sinwar has been the group’s leader in Gaza in recent years. He was elected by secret ballot The political boss Ismael Haniyeh has lived in Doha, Qatar since 2020because the blockade makes it difficult for him to leave and return from Gaza.
Before taking over the leadership of the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza, Sinwar spent 23 years in Israeli prisons, where he served four life sentences. He was found guilty of killing two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians believed to be spies for Israel. In 2011, Sinwar was released along with 1,026 other Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been kidnapped by Hamas five years earlier.
At 61, the terrorist leader speaks and writes fluent Hebrew. During his time in prison, he devoted himself to researching the enemy. In 2018, during ceasefire negotiations with Israel, Sinwar sent a message in Hebrew to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with just two words: “calculated risk.” Netanyahu agreed to allow regular financial aid from Qatar to the Gaza Strip in return for a fragile ceasefire with Hamas, but rejected other demands such as a prisoner swap and lifting the blockade of the enclave.
During Hamas’ 35th anniversary celebrations last December, Sinwar predicted open confrontation in Israel by 2023. He criticized the government of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and defended the need to reignite resistance in the West Bank.
The terrorist is currently hiding in fortified bunkers and rarely appears in public.