Yahya Sinwar: The Architect of Hamas

The assassination of Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar, a prominent Palestinian militant and politician who served as the chief of the Hamas political bureau from August 2024 and as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip since February 2017, was unsurprising. He was one of Israel’s most wanted individuals following the devastating Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 deaths and approximately 240 hostages taken. In response, the EU imposed terrorist sanctions on Sinwar, designating him as a primary target for the Israeli military.

EARLY YEARS AND EDUCATION

Born on October 29, 1962, in the Khan Yunis refugee camp during Egyptian rule, Sinwar's family had been forcibly expelled during the Nakba and sought refuge in Gaza. This experience ignited his interest in voluntary work, particularly supporting refugees, including distributing food in camps. The communal living conditions profoundly moved him forward.

Sinwar completed his education at Khan Yunis Secondary School for Boys and then received a bachelor's degree in Arabic studies from the Islamic University of Gaza. He also became proficient in Hebrew through an online program, focusing on Jewish history to better understand his opponents. Sinwar, who memorized the Qur'an, articulated Hamas' beliefs, emphasizing its religious perspective on the land and rejecting the idea of a two-state solution, asserting that the land rightfully belonged to Muslims.

His life and the Palestinian resistance are strikingly captured in his renowned book “The Thorn and the Carnation”, which highlights a devoted Gazan boy navigating life under Israeli occupation during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, revealing the harrowing experiences of Gazans sharing their stories with the outside world.

IMPRISONMENT LIFE

Sinwar's first imprisonment in Far’a prison in 1982 marked a turning point in his life. There, he connected with other Palestinian activists, including Salah Shehade, and dedicated himself to his national cause. His next arrest came in 1985 after co-founding Munazzamat al-Jihad w’al-Dawa (Majd) with Rawhi Mushtaha, an organization aimed at identifying collaborators with Israel among the Palestinian population. This group eventually evolved into Hamas' "police" in 1987.

His powerful words resonated throughout Israeli prisons: "They wanted prison to be a grave for us, a mill to grind our will, determination, and bodies. But, thank God, with our unwavering belief in our cause, we transformed the prison into sanctuaries of worship and academies for study." Step by step Sinwar gained widespread respect as a "great organizer" within Hamas, fostering closer cooperation with Hezbollah and Iran, and was elected to a position akin to the defence minister.

ROYAL GOVERNANCE OVER HAMAS

In February 2017, Sinwar was elected as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, initiating numerous initiatives aimed at resisting Israeli forces. In March, he established a Hamas-controlled administrative committee for Gaza, rejecting power-sharing with the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. Sinwar reassigned various posts within the organization, appointing close associates from his prison years, with Rawhi Mushtaha as head of Hamas's Gaza administration and Tawfiq Abu Naim assisting in the establishment of an internal security force.

Sinwar firmly advocated for a Palestinian state, emphasizing resistance as the path to achieving it, and believed that strength and resilience would ultimately lead to Palestinian liberation. He focused on enhancing Hamas's defense capabilities and encouraged proactive measures aimed at securing Palestinian freedom.                                                                                                                                                                                                  

On May 16, 2018, Al Jazeera reported Sinwar's surprising statement that Hamas would pursue "peaceful, popular resistance" to the Israeli occupation. This indicated a possible shift in the organization’s stance, suggesting that Hamas might consider dialogue with Israel.

However, this assertion was contradicted just a week earlier when Sinwar had urged Gazans to breach Israeli restrictions and blockades, declaring open war against the "big Bandidos of history." He stated, "We would rather die as martyrs than die out of oppression and humiliation," adding, "We are ready to die, and tens of thousands will die with us."

In March 2021, Sinwar was elected for a second four-year term as the head of Hamas in Gaza. By then, he had solidified his control over the territory, eliminating veteran Hamas commanders. Sinwar began bypassing the influential Shura council, effectively consolidating his power while keeping the Doha-based senior leadership partially uninformed about his activities.

On May 15, 2021, an airstrike targeted Sinwar's home in Khan Yunis, accelerating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. However, Sinwar was not at home. In the week that followed, he made public appearances at least four times, the most notable being a press conference on May 27, 2021, where he challenged Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to order his assassination as he walked home.

By the second half of 2022, Hamas began preparing for a surprise attack on Israel. Sinwar sought to involve Iran and Hezbollah in this conflict, hoping it would lead to Israel's complete collapse. During a meeting, he acknowledged that the attack would require sacrifices, referring to the people of Gaza, but it was ultimately postponed. By May 2023, Sinwar and his team believed they had avoided a minor conflict during Ramadan, aiming to keep the surprise for the October 7 attack.

After the October 7 attack, when Israel surrounded Gaza City, they claimed to have "trapped" Sinwar in a bunker. However, Israeli military officials later clarified that he was actually in an underground bunker in Khan Yunis. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remarked, "We will track down Yahya Sinwar and remove him." If the residents of Gaza reach him first, it will shorten the war." By February 2024, the IDF believed Sinwar had moved from Khan Yunis to Rafah, continuously relocating to evade direct command of Hamas forces. The IDF also released CCTV footage from October 10, showing Sinwar with his family inside a Hamas tunnel complex in Khan Yunis as they gathered intelligence to locate him.

INHERITING THE HEIR OF HAMAS

Following Ismail Haniyeh's assassination on July 31, 2024, Hamas appointed Yahya Sinwar as its new leader and chairman of the Political Bureau, sending a defiant message to Israel. His election marked a shift towards a more extreme phase for Hamas, driven by his popularity after the October 7 attacks and strong ties with Iran’s "Axis of Resistance."

In September, the IDF investigated rumors of Sinwar’s death in an airstrike, although Israeli authorities lacked confirmation. By October, he resumed contact with Hamas representatives in Qatar. In the days before his death, he expressed, "Being 59 means that at 60, I am closer to dying of natural causes. I would rather die a martyr than live and die without meaning."

THE DEATH OF YAHYA SINWAR

On October 17, 2024, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet investigated whether Sinwar was among three people killed in Gaza, but no confirmation was made initially. A day later, IDF soldiers found a body resembling Sinwar, with DNA confirming his identity. Sinwar was discovered with military gear, cash, and weapons. An Israeli pathologist reported that he had sustained multiple injuries before being shot in the head, leading to his death. Israel Police confirmed his identity through dental records and fingerprints. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that Sinwar's death marked the start of a new era without Hamas in Gaza, and Hamas confirmed his death on October 18.

In his last words, Sinwar reflected: "I am Yahya, the son of a refugee who transformed deportation into a temporary homeland and dreams into a struggle. As I write this, I reflect on every moment of my life: my childhood in the alleys, the years spent in imprisonment, and every drop of blood shed on the soil of this land.

Born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in 1962, I grew up during a time when Palestine was merely a tattered memory and a forgotten map on the desks of politicians. I have lived amidst fire and ashes, fully aware that life under occupation is nothing but eternal imprisonment. I urge you not to compromise on the rights that are rightfully yours. They fear your strength more than your weapons..."