Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar Alive, Unrepentant About October 7 Attacks: Report

Yahya Sinwar's high tolerance for suffering, both for himself and for the Palestinian people, in the name of a cause, was apparent when he helped negotiate the 2011 exchange of 1,027 prisoners, himself included, for one kidnapped Israeli soldier held in Gaza. (Image and Caption: REUTERS)

People close to him say he remains the only way to force the creation of a Palestinian nation.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is reportedly alive and has contacted officials in Qatar in recent days, according to news outlet Al Arabiya. On Friday, news agency Reuters in a report said that Sinwar is unrepentant about the October 7 attacks on Israel, citing people who met him recently.

For Sinwar, 62, architect of the Hamas cross-border raids that became the deadliest day in Israel’s history, armed struggle remains the only way to force the creation of a Palestinian nation, four Palestinian officials and two sources from governments in the Middle East said.

The October 7 attacks, whose grim anniversary Israel observed on Monday, killed 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and captured 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies, in the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

Israel responded by launching a massive offensive, killing over 41,909 people and displacing 1.9 million, according to Palestinian health authorities and UN figures.

Now the conflict has spread to Lebanon, with Israel heavily degrading Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, including killing most of its leadership. Hamas patron Tehran is at risk of being pulled into open war with Israel.

Sinwar’s grip on the Hamas remains unwavering, despite some signs of dissent among Gazans.

He was chosen as the Islamist movement’s overall leader after his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh was killed in July by a suspected Israeli strike during a visit to Tehran. Israel has not confirmed its involvement in the strike.

Operating from the shadows of a network of labyrinthine tunnels under Gaza, two Israeli sources said Sinwar and his brother, also a top commander, appear to have so far survived Israeli airstrikes, which have reportedly killed his deputy Mohammed Deif and other senior leaders.

Dubbed “The Face of Evil” by Israel, Sinwar operates in secrecy, moving constantly and using trusted messengers for non-digital communication, according to three Hamas officials and one regional official. He has not been seen in public since Oct. 7.

Over months of failed ceasefire talks, led by Qatar and Egypt, that focused on swapping prisoners for hostages, Sinwar was the sole decision-maker, three Hamas sources said.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Agencies)