Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks on Israel, has been named as the new leader of the militant group Hamas, following the death of the previous leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in an explosion in Iran attributed to Israel.
Born in 1962 in a refugee camp in the Gaza town of Khan Younis, Yahya Sinwar grew up in challenging conditions.
His father was a prominent figure in the community, and the family's struggles and experiences under Israeli occupation deeply influenced Sinwar.
He became an early member of Hamas, founded in 1987, and eventually led the group’s security arm, which focused on purging it of Israeli spies.
In the late 1980s, Sinwar was arrested by Israel and admitted to killing 12 suspected collaborators, earning him the nickname “The Butcher of Khan Younis.” He was sentenced to four life terms for offences including the murder of two Israeli soldiers.
During his 22 years in Israeli prisons, Sinwar organised strikes to improve conditions for Palestinian prisoners and studied Hebrew and Israeli society.
He also wrote extensively about his vision for Hamas and the Palestinian cause, although these writings have largely remained within the group.
Sinwar was released in 2011 by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an exchange for an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas in a cross-border raid.
Upon his return to Gaza, he quickly ascended through Hamas’ leadership ranks, becoming known for his ruthlessness.
He is widely believed to be behind the 2016 killing of another top Hamas commander, Mahmoud Ishtewi, during an internal power struggle.
As the head of Hamas in Gaza, Sinwar effectively controlled the territory and worked closely with Haniyeh to strengthen ties with Iran and its regional proxies.
He played a crucial role in building Hamas' military capabilities and planning several attacks on Israel, aiming to enhance the group’s strategic position.
Sinwar, along with Muhammad Deif, the head of Hamas’ armed wing, are believed to have engineered the October 7 attack on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths, mostly civilians.
The attack sparked a war that has since killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities there.
Hamas stated the attack was in retaliation for Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and to refocus global attention on their cause.
Since the attack, Sinwar has been in hiding. Cease-fire negotiators report significant delays in communicating with him, raising doubts about his ability to manage Hamas' daily operations.
Known for his hardline stance, Sinwar has close ties to Hamas’ armed wing and wields considerable influence over cease-fire agreements, particularly
regarding the fate of Israeli hostages.
Israel has vowed to kill Sinwar, marking a continuation of the high-stakes conflict in the region.
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