Aayush Pathak
Yahya Sinwar, a 61-year-old Palestinian politician, has been named the new leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh who was killed in Iran last week. Sinwar, who previously served as the Hamas chief in Gaza, began his career as a ruthless enforcer, punishing and killing collaborators with Israel.
In December 2022, Sinwar, a militant leader, told a rally in Gaza that Hamas would deploy a “flood” of fighters and rockets against Israel, foreshadowing the deadly attack that was to come. Less than a year later, on October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters broke through Gaza’s fence and staged an assault that killed 1,200 people, took 152 hostage, and shattered Israel’s reputation as an invincible enemy.
The October 7 Attack and Its Aftermath
The October 7 attack, which Hamas dubbed the “flood of Al-Aqsa,” was a major victory for the group against Israeli occupation, but it drew condemnation from the International Criminal Court. The prosecutor requested arrest warrants for Sinwar, Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, and another Hamas figure over the attack, as well as for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense chief over Israel’s response, which reduced much of Gaza to rubble.
The war set off by the October 7 attack laid waste to Gaza, as Israel sought to eliminate Hamas. Sinwar, who has been at the top of Israel’s assassination list during the conflict, never made a public appearance after the attacks, but directed military operations along with Deif and another commander.
Sinwar’s Rise to Power and Devotion to Hamas
Born in the Khan Younis refugee camp, Sinwar was elected as Hamas’ leader in Gaza in 2017. Before his imprisonment, he rose to prominence as the head of the Al-Majd security apparatus, which tracked and killed Palestinians accused of providing information on Hamas to Israel’s secret service
Both Hamas leaders and Israeli officials who know Sinwar agree that he is devoted to the movement to an extraordinary level. One Hamas figure based in Lebanon described him as “puritanical… with an amazing ability of endurance,” while a former Shin Bet official who interrogated Sinwar said he clearly stood out for his ability to intimidate and command.
Sinwar, who spent 23 years behind bars, has vowed to free all Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. He was one of 1,027 Palestinians released from Israeli prisons in a swap for a single Israeli soldier held in Gaza in 2011.
A Controversial Figure
Sinwar is regarded as one of the most prominent leaders of Hamas, alongside Ismail Haniyeh, Khaled Mashal, Mohammed Deif, and Marwan Issa. However, he is also a controversial figure, with some describing him as a “psychopath” who is willing to allow huge suffering for a cause.
In 2015, Sinwar was designated a terrorist by the United States government, and Hamas and its armed wing have been designated terrorist organizations by the U.S., the European Union, and other countries. In May 2024, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced his intention to apply for an arrest warrant for Sinwar for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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