Sinwar, Israel’s problem after eight months of war

Since the war in the Gaza Strip began in October, one of Israel’s main goals has been to eliminate the leaders of the Hamas movement, including Yehya Sinwar.

Politicians and military officials in Tel Aviv accuse the man of planning the October 7 attack in which hundreds of Israelis were killed and nearly 240 others captured.

But after eight months of continuous war, during which Israel has dug every house, every tunnel and every town in search of Sinwar, from the north of the Gaza Strip to the centre and then to Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south, the occupying army has found no trace of the man except for a short video showing him with his family in a tunnel, apparently at the beginning of the war in Khan Yunis, his hometown.

Israel’s pursuit of Sinwar and many political and military leaders of the Hamas movement is a clear failure of the intelligence services. Sources inside and outside the Hamas movement told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Israeli occupation’s inability to find him does not mean that he has cut off communication with the movement’s representatives.

The sources confirmed that Sinwar was constantly informed of all developments, especially the ongoing negotiations, and communicated with the movement’s leaders abroad on several occasions, especially during the recent negotiations on the release of hostages and reaching a ceasefire. He also contacted the head of the movement’s political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, to express his condolences after Israel killed members of his family in an airstrike.

The sources added that only two or three people knew his whereabouts and took care of his various needs, as well as ensuring his contact with the movement’s leaders in the Gaza Strip and abroad.

“The occupation has failed to reach many of the top and second-tier leaders at the political and military levels, but has attempted to assassinate some of them while injuring others… Sinwar, however, is not among them,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, Jewish media reported that Sinwar was moving around in the remaining tunnels of the Hamas movement, but provided no evidence to support these claims. The Israeli army has repeatedly claimed that it has successfully destroyed Hamas’ capabilities, including tunnels, and smashed the movement’s brigades in Khan Yunis and other areas of the Gaza Strip.

Asharq Al-Awsat tried to contact people close to Sinwar, including some of his relatives, to get a better idea of ​​the man’s personality and his decision-making.

“Sinwar is considering two options: either he fulfills the conditions of resistance by ending the war, withdrawing the occupying forces and completing an honorable exchange, or he attains the honor of martyrdom,” they said.

As for his character, and in response to Israeli accusations that he is violent and stubborn, Sinwar’s confidants say he has a sociable personality and often visits legal and local figures and even his neighbors, despite his many worries since his election as leader of the movement in the Gaza Strip.

“Contrary to what many see as a very sharp personality, he often possesses a sense of humor, even during the meetings and interviews he conducted at the level of the movement’s leaders,” a person close to Sinwar told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He added: “But that doesn’t change the fact that he is a leader… and has been able to resolve any discussion.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly reiterated his refusal to end the Gaza war in a way that would give Sinwar and Hamas the appearance of victors, in response to criticism from politicians and military officials in Tel Aviv over the lack of a strategic plan for the post-war period and the failure of an agreement with Hamas guaranteeing the release of Israeli prisoners.

Analysts believe that Israel’s failure to capture Sinwar is a military and political problem. Hamas sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Sinwar is aware of this fact and understands that Israel wants to kill or capture him in order to claim that it has won the war.

“Having spent many years in Israeli prisons, (Sinwar) understands well how Israeli leaders think and therefore handles many aspects of the struggle politically… He is described as a tenacious negotiator who wants to impose Palestinian conditions, especially with regard to a complete cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of occupation forces from the entire Gaza Strip,” the sources said.