Yahya Sinwar
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Yahya Sinwar (Arabic: يحيى السنوار) (29 October 1962 – 16 October 2024) was a Palestinian politician who was the leader of Hamas in Gaza.[2][3]
Yahya Sinwar | |
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يحيى السنوار | |
 Sinwar in 2012 | |
| Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau | |
| In office 6 August 2024 – 16 October 2024 | |
| Deputy | Khalil al-Hayya |
| Preceded by | Ismail Haniyeh |
| Leader of Hamas in Gaza | |
| In office 13 February 2017[1] – 16 October 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Ismail Haniyeh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar 29 October 1962 Khan Yunis, Egyptian-administered Gaza |
| Died | 16 October 2024 (aged 61) Rafah, Palestine |
| Nationality | Palestinian |
| Political party | Hamas |
| Spouse(s) | Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar
(m. 2011) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Mohammed Sinwar (brother) |
| Education | Muslim University of Gaza (BA) |
| Nickname(s) | Abu Ibrahim (kunya) |
| Service/branch | Al-Qassam Brigades |
| Years of service | 1987–2024 |
| Battles/wars | First Uprising 2021 Palestine–Israel crisis Gaza–Israel war |
| Hamas biographies |
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Politicians and Officials
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Early life
He was born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Egyptian-governed Gaza in 1962. His family were forcibly expelled from the Palestinian city of Al-Majdal Asqalan during the 1948 War.[4] He completed his academia at the Muslim University of Gaza and received a bachelor's degree in Arabic studies.[5]
Activities
For planning the capture and killing of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians accused of working with Israel in 1989, he was sentenced to four life sentences by the Israeli courts, 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. 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
In addition to his native Arabic, Sinwar spoke Hebrew, which he learned, along with insights into Jewish culture, while held captive by Israel.[5]
Death
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]
Yahya Sinwar Media
Sinwar with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, February 2012
Sinwar, wounded, staring at an Israeli drone, with his face covered in a keffiyeh, shortly before he was killed
.jpg)
References
- ↑ Israeli occupation's threats against Hamas officials reflect political impasse. Hamas (25 September 2022). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
- ↑ Beaumont, Peter (13 February 2017). Hamas elects hardliner Yahya Sinwar as its Gaza Strip chief. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/13/hamas-elects-hardliner-yahya-sinwar-as-its-gaza-strip-chief.
- ↑ Balousha, Hazam; Booth, William (13 February 2017). Hamas names hard-liner as its new political leader in Gaza. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/hamas-names-hard-liner-as-its-new-political-leader-in-gaza-/2017/02/13/b4e31518-f1f6-11e6-9fb1-2d8f3fc9c0ed_story.html.
- ↑ Yahya Sinwar | Hamas Leader, Biography, & Facts | Britannica (in en). www.britannica.com (2024-01-28). Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Who is the Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar? (in en-GB). BBC News (2023-11-21). Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Da Silva, Chantal. Israeli military investigating 'possibility' Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in Gaza (in en). NBC News (2024-10-17). Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ↑ "IDF troops were not targeting Sinwar in incident in which he was likely killed". The Times of Israel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/report-idf-troops-didnt-realize-sinwar-was-in-gaza-building-that-they-struck/. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ↑ Middle East crisis live: Israeli army says it is ‘checking possibility’ it killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar (October 17, 2024)The Guardian.
- ↑ Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed In Gaza, Israel confirms (October 17, 2024)CNN.
- ↑ McKernan, Bethan (2024-10-17). "Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed in surprise encounter with Israeli forces" (in en-GB). The Guardian. . https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/17/israeli-military-says-it-may-have-killed-hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ↑ Hamas leader Sinwar – mastermind of 7 October attack – killed in Gaza, Israel says (in en). The Independent (2024-10-17). Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ↑ Update from Aaron Boxerman. The New York Times (2024-10-17).
- ↑ Tamari, Liran. Police forensic unit confirms Yahya Sinwar's identity through fingerprints (in en). ynetnews (2024-10-17). Retrieved 2024-10-17.