Jerusalem: After Hamas attacked Israel in October, sparking war in the Gaza Strip, Israeli leaders described the group’s top official in the territory, Yahya Sinwar, as a “living dead man.” Viewing him as an architect of the attack, Israel has presented Sinwar’s assassination as a major target of its devastating counterattack.
Seven months later, Sinwar’s survival is emblematic of the failures of Israel’s war, which has devastated much of Gaza but left Hamas’ top leaders largely intact and failed to free most of the captives captured during the attack. October.
Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip, died in 2018. Credit: Khalil Hamra
Even as Israeli officials seek his assassination, they have been forced to negotiate with him, however indirectly, to free the remaining hostages. Sinwar has emerged not only as a strong-willed commander but also as a shrewd negotiator who has avoided an Israeli battlefield victory while engaging Israeli envoys at the negotiating table, according to Hamas, Israeli and US officials. Some spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence assessments on Sinwar and diplomatic negotiations.
While the talks are being mediated by Egypt and Qatar, it is Sinwar – believed to be hidden in a network of tunnels beneath Gaza – whose consent is required by Hamas negotiators before accepting any concessions, according to some of those. officials.