Tel Aviv

Israeli security agencies had the opportunity to kill Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar but decided against it, fearing for the lives of the hostages currently in the militant outfit's captivity, a report in The Jerusalem Post, citing N12 news has claimed. 

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The report stated that Sinwar had surrounded himself with the hostages and was using them as human shields to avoid being gunned down by the Israeli forces. Sinwar is believed to be hiding in the tunnels under Gaza.

According to media reports, Sinwar has secured his hiding place after learning about an Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon. 

The report comes in the backdrop of reports claiming that Tel Aviv was investigating the possibility of Sinwar being dead as he was incommunicado for a relatively long time. Tel Aviv has reiterated that Sinwar's death might be the final nail in the coffin for Hamas which has faced significant losses in its top hierarchy in the recent weeks. 

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Sinwar succeeded Ismail Haniyeh as Hamas chief after the latter was assassinated in Iran. Haniyeh was allegedly neutralised by Israel using an explosive device that was smuggled into the guesthouse he was staying at in Tehran. 

Watch | Israel-Hezbollah Conflict: Nasrallah's Death a Heavy Blow To Hezbollah

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Who is Sinwar?

Born in Khan Younis in 1962, Sinwar is seen as one of the uncompromising top officials of Hamas. In the early 1980s, Sinwar was repeatedly arrested by Israel because of his involvement in anti-occupation activism held at the Islamic University in Gaza.

After completing his graduation, Sinwar set up a network of fighters who were trained for armed resistance against Israel. Later, this group became the well-known Qassam Brigades, which is the military wing of Hamas.

Alongside now-killed Mohammed Deif, the head of Qassam Brigades, Sinwar planned the October 7 attacks, whose foundations were set in place after IDF carried out a raid on Al Aqsa mosque in May 2021. 

Also read | Israel confirms Hamas military leader Deif’s death in airstrike, day after Haniyeh's assassination

In the 23 years he spent in Israel's jail, Sinwar learnt Hebrew and also got well-versed in Israel's political affairs. In 2011, he was released as part of the prisoner exchange deal in which Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was released from Hamas.

(With inputs from agencies)