Tel Aviv: Following Hamas’ announcement that its military chief, Yahya Sinwar, would take over as its political leader, the militant group’s command centre will relocate to Gaza, Palestine. Sinwar had spent four imprisonment stints totalling 27 years in Israeli prisons.
Ismail Hanieyh, the political leader of Hamas, was slain in Tehran on July 31, allegedly by Israel. Yahya Sinwar is now taking over the vacant place after Hanieyh’s death.
While leading Hamas, Haniyeh and his predecessor Khalid Mashal had worked out of Doha, Qatar. However, Sinwar, who Israel believes to be the architect of the October 7, 2023 killing spree, is thought to be residing in the Hamas tunnel network close to the southern Gazan regions of Rafah and Khan Younis.
Following Hamas’ announcement of Sinwar as its political leader on Tuesday night, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said in a press statement, “Yahya Sinwar is a terrorist who is responsible for the most brutal terrorist attack in history — October 7. There is only one place for Yahya Sinwar, and it is beside Mohammed Deif and the rest of the October 7 terrorists. That is the only place we’re preparing and intending for him.”
Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, has also declared publicly that his country will find and execute Yahya Sinwar.
Sinwar joined Hamas in 1987, the year it was founded by Sheikh Ahmad Yassin. He speaks Hebrew fluently and has long been regarded as the most brutal among the Hamas commanders.
It remains to be seen how the covert peace negotiations being conducted on behalf of the US, Qatar, and Egypt will proceed now that Yahya Sinwar has emerged as Hamas’ most influential leader.
Of the 251 captives taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, following the carnage and chaos, Israel claims that 111 are still in the organisation’s hands. Yahya Sinwar is thought to be hiding in the tunnels encircling these hostages. This includes 39 dead.
Photo: (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar/IANS)
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