Speculation is mounting about the fate of Hamas’s Gaza-based leader Yahya Sinwar as Israeli intelligence investigates reports that he may have been killed in a recent airstrike in Gaza. Sinwar has not appeared in public for a long period, leading several Hebrew media outlets to raise questions about his whereabouts amid the increased military operations by Israel.
Currently, Israeli authorities are examining the probability of Sinwar’s death during the airstrikes. However, there is no concrete evidence regarding his death.
The Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service reportedly believes that Sinwar is still alive and may have gone underground. An Israeli official said, “We do not have actionable intelligence indicating that Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas, is dead today.”
According to reports in The Times of Israel, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who has been in hiding in Gaza since the October 7 attack, has a history of disappearing from public view. He is known to resurface occasionally, often to deliver statements on ceasefire negotiations or other important issues, which fuels speculation about his whereabouts during periods of silence.
Security officers quoted by various media sources said that any claim of Sinwar’s death was currently hypothetical and lacked a solid basis.
The context surrounding Sinwar’s disappearance is significant as he is leading Hamas after Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination by Israel. It is alleged that the October 7 attack on Israel was orchestrated by Sinwar.
Israel alleges that Yahya Sinwar has been hiding in a network of tunnels beneath Gaza. Reports indicate that he uses complex and secretive methods of communication from his hideouts, relying on intermediaries and handwritten notes to relay messages.
