Yahya Sinwar, the elusive leader of Hamas and mastermind behind the deadly October 7 attacks on Israel, is reportedly alive and has been in contact with officials in Qatar, according to a recent report from Al Arabiya. The revelation comes amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes aimed at dismantling Hamas leadership, which has so far claimed the lives of thousands of civilians and combatants.
Sinwar, 62, a central figure in orchestrating the unprecedented cross-border assault, remains unapologetic about the attacks, according to multiple sources cited by Reuters. The October 7 operation resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people in Israel, including civilians, and the capture of 250 hostages. Israel, in response, launched a comprehensive military campaign, with over 41,909 casualties reported by Palestinian health authorities, and more than 1.9 million displaced, according to UN figures.
For Sinwar, who has been the de facto leader of Hamas since the assassination of his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh in July, armed struggle is the only path to the creation of a Palestinian state, sources close to Hamas said. Despite the severe toll on Gaza and its people, Sinwar’s influence within the Islamist movement remains intact. He reportedly continues to operate from a network of underground tunnels beneath Gaza, evading Israeli efforts to target him directly.
Israeli officials have confirmed that many of Sinwar’s close allies, including his deputy Mohammed Deif, have been killed in the ongoing airstrikes. However, Sinwar and his brother, a fellow top commander, have so far avoided the same fate.
Known for his secrecy, Sinwar has not appeared in public since the attacks and is believed to rely on trusted messengers to conduct non-digital communication, making his capture or assassination challenging. Despite growing dissatisfaction among some Gazans over the devastating Israeli response, Sinwar remains firmly in control of Hamas, overseeing failed ceasefire talks brokered by Qatar and Egypt. These negotiations focused on exchanging hostages for prisoners but yielded no breakthroughs.
The conflict has now escalated beyond Gaza, with Israeli strikes extending to Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, leading to significant degradation of the Iranian-backed militant group’s capabilities. Iran, Hamas’ key ally, faces growing risks of being drawn into an open war with Israel.
As the conflict continues to spiral, the international community is grappling with the increasing casualties and the mounting humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while Israel remains committed to eliminating Hamas leadership.
Sinwar’s future remains uncertain, but for now, he continues to evade Israeli forces, leading Hamas from the shadows in a conflict that shows no signs of abating.
