As Israel’s ground forces advance in the south of the Gaza Strip, Hamas leader Yahyaa al-Sinwar remains in hiding (see video above). The ruler has been compared to the former leader of the Al Qaeda terror network, Osama bin Laden, and tops the Israeli army’s hit list.
Sinwar was born in a refugee camp in Khan Yunis in 1962 and belongs to the founding generation of Hamas. In the early years of the Islamist movement, he was responsible within his own ranks for the fight against suspected collaborators with Israel. He was so cruel that he was called the “Butcher of Khan Yunis”. He spent more than twenty years in Israeli custody for the murders of four suspected collaborators and two Israeli soldiers. He used this time to learn Hebrew and study the enemy.
In 2011, he was one of more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. That same year, bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by American special forces. Like him, Sinwar is also a man doomed to die, according to the Israeli government. Sinwar, along with Mohammed Deif, the commander of the terrorist organization’s armed wing, are believed to be the planners of the October 7 massacre in Israel. About 1,200 Israelis were killed and another 240 people were deported to the Gaza Strip.
Death does not necessarily mean falling
As reported, Israeli forces said they have surrounded the Gaza chief’s home in Khan Yunis. He could escape, “but it is only a matter of time before we find him,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday evening. Even if the Israeli army were to track down and kill Sinwar, it would not necessarily mean the fall of Hamas. The former prisoner is not the only leading figure, says Middle East researcher Harel Chorev. “Hamas can still be overthrown even if Sinwar remains alive.” It is necessary to destroy a “critical mass” of power centers.
Pressure to release hostages?
Only if the army maintains military pressure in Sinwar’s hometown can the terrorist organization be persuaded to make another deal to release hostages, Yediot Achronot daily wrote on Friday. The Israeli government has not yet reached the point where Hamas says “enough.”
According to reports, 118 terrorists were arrested in Israel during the Hamas massacre on October 7 and the days that followed. The right-wing extremist Minister of Police Itamar Ben-Gvir has now announced that he wants to house those arrested in the underground wing of a prison. They deserve no sunlight “while our abductees sit in the tunnels of hell.” Ben-Gvir has already ordered the prison service to reopen the unused floor of a prison in Ramla, near Tel Aviv. Media assume that about 100 people can be held there.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
