On video: documentation from a tunnel where hostages were held/IDF spokesman
The leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, and other senior members of the organization apparently hid near the place where the IDF located cages in a tunnel in Khan Yunis in recent days - this is what Israeli officials told the NBC network, who estimated that senior Hamas officials came upon themselves through layers of Israeli hostages and junior fighters.
Sinwar , as described, manages to stay one step ahead of the IDF and Israel's intelligence services.
Past and present military officials told NBC that Hamas also put a lot of effort into keeping secret the communication channels between Sinwar and the political leadership of Hamas in Qatar, even during the November ceasefire in which about a hundred Israeli hostages were released.
A Hamas political official told the NBC network that the organization is trying to protect Sinwar and its other senior leaders.
"I think this is the right of any leadership or opposition," said the official, who asked to remain anonymous.
"I'm sure it's the same in every country."
moving from place to place.
Sinwar/Reuters
According to estimates, Sinwar planned and supervised the surprise attack, which killed 1,200 people in Israel and led to the kidnapping of 240 people from many countries.
Sinwar apparently remained on the move, and changed locations to avoid detection, according to IDF commanders, current and former security officials, and experts who were in contact with Hamas in the past.
At the beginning of the week, the IDF announced the completion of the encirclement of Khan Yunis, Sinwar's hometown and the organization's stronghold in the south .
The army believes that Sinwar is deep in the maze of tunnels in lower Gaza, but they cannot rule out the possibility that he crossed into Egypt through a tunnel.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations on a hostage deal and a ceasefire, Israel made an offer to allow the safe passage of Sinwar and other Hamas leaders from the Strip in exchange for the release of all the remaining hostages.
Hamas, according to reports, strongly opposes this.
Tunnel where hostages were kept in Khan Yunis/IDF spokesman, no
A former Israeli official, who has extensive experience in negotiations with Palestinians, expressed fear of such an outcome.
"If he lives abroad and supervises the other Hamas leaders in Gaza and Hamas gets a role in a future settlement in Gaza, that strengthens his victory on October 7," the official told NBC.
Two other former Israeli officials said that Sinwar has three interests: his survival, The organizational continuity of Hamas and a role in the future leadership of Gaza. "They made October 7 as a step towards their goal," said a former Israeli official who believes that Sinwar hopes to survive the war.
More on the same topic:
Hamas
Yahya Sinwar
Gaza war