Yahya Sinwar | |
|---|---|
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 |
| Succeeded by | Hamas temporary committee[note 1] (acting) |
| Leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip | |
| In office 13 February 2017[1] – 16 October 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Ismail Haniyeh |
| Succeeded by | Mohammed Sinwar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar 29 October 1962 Khan Yunis, Egyptian-ruled Gaza Strip |
| Died | 16 October 2024 (aged 61) Tel al-Sultan, Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestine[dubious – discuss] |
| Manner of death | Killed in action |
| Nationality | Palestinian |
| Political party | Hamas |
| Spouse |
Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar
(m. 2011) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Mohammed Sinwar (brother) |
| Education | Islamic University of Gaza (BA) |
| Nickname | Abu Ibrahim (kunya) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Hamas |
| Branch | Al-Qassam Brigades |
| Service years | 1987–2024 |
| Conflicts | |
| Palestinian nationalism Factions and leaders | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Map: Birthplaces or family origins Details below: p. parents from, b. born in, d. death. |
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Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar[note 2] (Arabic: يحيى إبراهيم حسن السنوار, romanized: Yaḥyá Ibrāhīm Ḥasan al-Sinwār; 29 October 1962 – 16 October 2024) was a Palestinian militant and politician who served as chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from August 2024,[2] and as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip from February 2017, until his death in October 2024, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh in both roles.[3][4]
Sinwar was born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Egyptian-ruled Gaza in 1962 to a family who had been expelled or fled from Majdal 'Asqalan (modern Ashkelon) during the 1948 Palestine War.[5] He finished his studies at the Islamic University of Gaza, where he received a bachelor's degree in Arabic studies.[6] In 1989, Sinwar was sentenced to four life sentences in Israel for orchestrating the abduction and killing of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians he considered to be collaborators. He spent 22 years in prison until his release among 1,026 others in a 2011 prisoner exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.[3] During his time in prison, Sinwar continued to coordinate the execution of Palestinians suspected of collaboration with Israel and planned the abduction of Israeli soldiers.[7][8] Sinwar was one of the co-founders of the security apparatus of Hamas.[9][10][11][12]
In 2017, Sinwar was elected as the leader of Hamas in Gaza and claimed to pursue 'peaceful, popular resistance' the following year, supporting the 2018–2019 Gaza border protests,[13] though he is also reported to have been dedicated to eradicating Israel[14][15] and is said to have seen military confrontation as the only path to "liberating Palestine", saying that this would be achieved "by force, not negotiations".[16] He also developed strong ties with Iran.[17][18][19] Re-elected as Hamas leader in 2021, Sinwar survived an assassination attempt by Israel that same year. He is widely regarded as the mastermind behind the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023,[20][21][22][23] which was followed by the Israel–Hamas war that spilled over to other parts of the Middle East.[24][16]
Hamas and the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades have been designated terrorist organisations by the United States, the European Union, and other countries and, in September 2015, Sinwar was specifically designated a terrorist by the United States government.[9] In May 2024, Karim Khan, 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, as part of the ICC investigation in Palestine.[25] Sinwar was killed on 16 October 2024, during a firefight with the Israeli military.[26]
Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).
- ^ "Israeli occupation's threats against Hamas officials reflect political impasse". Hamas. 25 September 2022. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
- ^ "Hamas names Yahya Sinwar as new leader after Ismail Haniyeh's killing". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b Beaumont, Peter (13 February 2017). "Hamas elects hardliner Yahya Sinwar as its Gaza Strip chief". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017.
- ^ Balousha, Hazam; Booth, William (13 February 2017). "Hamas names hard-liner as its new political leader in Gaza". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017.
- ^ "Yahya Sinwar". Britannica. 28 January 2024. Archived from the original on 28 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Who is the Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar?". BBC News. 21 November 2023. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Beckerwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Repaying a debt with blood: Israeli doctor saved Sinwar, nephew killed on Oct. 7". The Jerusalem Post. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Terrorist Designations of Yahya Sinwar, Rawhi Mushtaha, and Muhammed Deif". United States Department of State. 8 September 2015. Archived from the original on 21 January 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "The Palestinians try to reconcile". The Economist. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ Kottasová, Ivana; Shortell, David (7 December 2023). "Who is Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader Israel has called a 'dead man walking'". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ Morris, Loveday; Balousha, Hazem (11 December 2023). "Who is Hamas leader Yehiya Sinwar: From enforcer to Oct. 7 mastermind". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Economist 2018-05-26was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Hamas leader Sinwar killed by Israeli troops in Gaza, Netanyahu says war will go on". Reuters.
- ^ "Who was Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar? From enforcer to architect of Oct. 7". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b "Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader committed to eradicating Israel". Reuters.
- ^ Said, Summer; Jones, Rory (7 August 2024). "Sinwar Power Grab Cements Hamas-Iran Ties". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ "Hamas's pick of Yahya Sinwar as leader makes a ceasefire less likely". The Economist. 6 August 2024. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Abualoufwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Mrouewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Vasilyeva, Nataliya (20 November 2023). "Mastermind behind Hamas attacks personally handling hostage negotiations". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Estrinwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Kingsley, Patrick; Barnes, Julian E.; Rasgon, Adam (12 May 2024). "Yahya Sinwar Helped Start the War in Gaza. Now He's Key to Its Endgame". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 13 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Peled, Anat; Lieber, Dov; Keller-Lynn, Carrie; Said, Summer (18 October 2024). "After a Yearlong Hunt, Sinwar's Killing Came Down to Chance". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Kottasová, Ivana (20 May 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: ICC seeks arrest warrants against Sinwar and Netanyahu for war crimes over October 7 attack and Gaza war". CNN. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ Hubbard, Ben (17 October 2024). "Yahya Sinwar, Leader of Hamas in Gaza, Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 October 2024.