Yahya Sinwar, responsible for planning the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, took over the leadership after Haniyeh’s death in Iran a month prior. Sinwar, known for his elusive nature, has repeatedly evaded capture by Israeli forces.
Yahya Sinwar has survived numerous assassination bid
“Yahya Sinwar is known for his adeptness at evading capture, having survived numerous assassination attempts by Israel.”
Since the onset of the conflict, Sinwar abandoned electronic communication, relying instead on a human courier system to deliver messages. This method remains a mystery to intelligence agencies.
“It is believed that Sinwar uses human couriers to deliver his messages, but the exact workings of this system remain unclear.”
Drawing comparisons with Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Sinwar employs a similar playbook to manage Hamas operations. This playbook details secret locations, operational methods, and information on top leaders. Despite leading military operations actively in Gaza, this system is reminiscent of Bin Laden’s strategies used to evade American forces post-9/11.”Yahya Sinwar uses a playbook much like Osama bin Laden’s, containing secret locations and operational details, helping him manage Hamas operations.”
Ceasefire Efforts not Yieldind due to no communication with Sinwar
Efforts by Qatar, Egypt, the US, and Israel to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza have become complicated due to the difficulty in communicating with Sinwar. Representatives state that any agreement requires Sinwar’s approval, making his capture crucial for halting the ongoing conflict.
“Any ceasefire deal in Gaza must have Yahya Sinwar’s approval according to representatives involved in negotiations.”
Israel combined its domestic intelligence agency with US intelligence to form a task force focused on intercepting Sinwar’s communication. The US has also provided technology, such as ground-penetrating radars, to aid this effort. Capturing or eliminating Sinwar would be a significant victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, potentially leading to a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
“US officials mentioned that capturing Sinwar or neutralizing him would be a major win for Netanyahu, potentially prompting a pullback of Israeli troops.”
Communications with Sinwar have slowed, with responses now taking significantly longer than before. Since the conflict began, Sinwar and his family have moved to tunnels in Gaza, changing his previous public lifestyle.
“Yahya Sinwar used to be visible, often appearing on TV for interviews and at award shows, but now he and his family have moved to tunnels in Gaza.”
Israel Forces discovered Sinwar’s presence in Gaza City tunnels
Israeli forces discovered Sinwar’s presence in Gaza City tunnels early in the conflict and targeted the area multiple times. A video showing Sinwar leaving the tunnels was found, released by Israeli forces in October 2023, depicting his movements during the early days of the conflict.
“When the Israeli army entered Gaza City tunnels, they found a video of Yahya Sinwar emerging from the tunnels, which was later released.”
Initially, Sinwar used mobile and satellite phones to communicate with former Hamas Chief Haniyeh. These calls were traced by intelligence agencies, but pinpointing Sinwar’s location was unsuccessful. The maze of tunnels in Gaza has become a significant challenge for the Israeli military.
“The maze of tunnels in Gaza presents a significant challenge, and American radars are being used to map them.”
The report underscores Sinwar’s transformation into a key figure after Haniyeh, thriving under intense conflict to solidify his position within Hamas. While Haniyeh operated from Qatar, Sinwar remains within Gaza, continuing to exert control despite his elusive nature and complex communication methods.
“They believe that Sinwar is instrumental in any ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which can only be finalized with his consent.”