Yahya Sinwar

Palestinian politician and Hamas leader (1962–2024)
(Redirected from Sinwar)

Yahya Sinwar (Arabic: يَحْيَى السَّنْوَارُ ) (29 October 1962 – 16 October 2024) was a Palestinian politician who was the leader of Hamas in Gaza.[2][3]

Yahya Sinwar
يَحْيَى السِّنْوَارِ
Sinwar in 2012
Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau
In office
6 August 2024 – 16 October 2024
DeputyKhalil al-Hayya
Preceded byIsmail Haniyeh
Leader of Hamas in Gaza
In office
13 February 2017[1] – 16 October 2024
Prime Minister
Preceded byIsmail Haniyeh
Personal details
Born
Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar

(1962-10-29)29 October 1962
Khan Yunis, Egyptian-administrated Gaza
Died16 October 2024(2024-10-16) (aged 61)
Rafah, Palestine
Cause of deathKilled in action
NationalityPalestinian
Political partyHamas
Spouse(s)
Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar
(m. 2011)
Children3
RelativesMohammed Sinwar (brother)
EducationIslamic University of Gaza (BA)
Nickname(s)Abu Ibrahim (kunya)
Allegiance Hamas
Service/branchAl-Qassam Brigades
Years of service1987–2024
Battles/warsFirst Uprising
2021 Palestine–Israel crisis
Gaza–Israel war

Early life

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He was born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Egyptian-governed Gaza in 1962. His family were forcibly expelled from the city of Al-Majdal Asqalan by Jewish terrorists during the 1948 War.[4] He completed his studies at the Islamic University of Gaza and received a degree in Arabic Studies.[5]

Activities

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For planning the capture and liquidation of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians accused of collaboration in 1989, he was sentenced to four life sentences by the Israeli regime, of which he served 22 years until his release among 1,026 others in a 2011 prisoner exchange. In 2017, he was elected as the leader of Hamas, and stated to pursue "peaceful, popular resistance" to the violent Israeli occupation the next year. He was re-elected as the leader of Hamas in 2021, and had a failed assassination against him by Israel that year.[5]

Personal Life

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In addition to his native Arabic, Sinwar spoke Hebrew, which he learned, along with insights into Israeli culture, during his time in Israel.[5]

On 17 October 2024, Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet said they were looking into whether Sinwar was among three individuals killed in an operation in Gaza that had taken place the day before, though neither Israel or Hamas made any official confirmation.[6] A body believed to be Sinwar's and a DNA sample were collected.[7][8][9] According to Kan radio, the bodies of Sinwar and his associates were found with cash, weapons and fake IDs.[10][11]

The IDF confirmed through DNA analysis that Sinwar had been killed a day earlier in Gaza during a firefight with the IDF.[6][12][13]

References

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  1. "Israeli occupation's threats against Hamas officials reflect political impasse". Hamas. 25 September 2022. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  2. Beaumont, Peter (13 February 2017). "Hamas elects hardliner Yahya Sinwar as its Gaza Strip chief". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017.
  3. Balousha, Hazam; Booth, William (13 February 2017). "Hamas names hard-liner as its new political leader in Gaza". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017.
  4. "Yahya Sinwar | Hamas Leader, Biography, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Who is the Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar?". BBC News. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Da Silva, Chantal (17 October 2024). "Israeli military investigating 'possibility' Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in Gaza". NBC News. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  7. "IDF troops were not targeting Sinwar in incident in which he was likely killed". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  8. "Middle East crisis live: Israeli army says it is 'checking possibility' it killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar". The Guardian. 17 October 2024.
  9. "Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed In Gaza, Israel confirms". CNN. 17 October 2024.
  10. McKernan, Bethan (17 October 2024). "Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed in surprise encounter with Israeli forces". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  11. "Hamas leader Sinwar – mastermind of 7 October attack – killed in Gaza, Israel says". The Independent. 17 October 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  12. "Update from Aaron Boxerman". The New York Times. 17 October 2024.
  13. Tamari, Liran (17 October 2024). "Police forensic unit confirms Yahya Sinwar's identity through fingerprints". ynetnews. Retrieved 17 October 2024.