Where Is Yahya Sinwar? Israeli Military's Photo Raises Questions About Missing Hamas Chief's Fate

A man wearing the Palestinian flag gestures near a poster of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, at a rally by protesters to show solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in Sanaa, Yemen August 9, 2024. (Reuters)

Questions arise about Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's fate after IDF Chief of Staff displays a photo with a question mark over his name during a briefing

Rumours about the whereabouts of the Hamas leader have intensified after reports surfaced that Yahya Sinwar is dead. During a recent IDF operational briefing, a photo of Sinwar was displayed with a question mark over his name, suggesting uncertainty about his status.

Where Is Yahya Sinwar?

The image has led to speculation that it was a subtle message from the IDF regarding Sinwar’s fate, especially as reports have surfaced in recent weeks indicating that he may no longer be alive. Israeli intelligence experts have voiced concerns that statements attributed to Sinwar in recent weeks may not have originated from him, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Sinwar, who has been a primary target for both US and Israeli forces since the October 7 Hamas attacks, is believed to be hiding within Gaza’s extensive network of tunnels. There are claims that he has adopted disguises, including dressing as a woman, to evade capture.

Despite significant intelligence efforts, including advanced technology and ground operations capability of Israel, his location remains unknown. However, it is important to note that the timing of the disclosed picture coincides with the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was targeted in Israeli airstrikes on Saturday in Beirut’s Dahiyeh neighbourhood.

Nasrallah’s killing

Nasrallah’s killing in a command HQ on Friday came barely a week after the deadly detonation of thousands of booby-trapped Hezbollah pagers and hundreds of radios – attacks widely blamed on Israel but which it has not claimed. His assassination was the culmination of a rapid succession of strikes that have eliminated half of Hezbollah’s leadership council and decimated its top military command.

Israel says it carried out the hit on Nasrallah by dropping bombs on the underground headquarters below a residential building in southern Beirut. “This is a massive blow and intelligence failure for Hezbollah,” Magnus Ranstorp, a veteran Hezbollah expert at the Swedish Defence University. “They knew that he was meeting. He was meeting with other commanders. And they just went for him.”