Who Is/Was Yahya Sinwar?
Yahya Sinwar is a senior leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. He is regarded as one of the most powerful figures within Hamas and has been a key player in shaping its military and political strategy. Sinwar was born in 1962 in the Khan Younis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. He joined Hamas early in its formation and was a founding member of its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
Sinwar was arrested by Israeli authorities in 1988 and sentenced to life imprisonment for involvement in attacks against Israelis. He spent over two decades in prison before being released in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange deal for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
After his release, Sinwar rose quickly within Hamas' ranks, and in 2017, he was elected as the head of Hamas in Gaza. As a leader, he is known for his hardline stance against Israel and for strengthening ties between Hamas' military and political wings. Sinwar is considered one of the key figures behind Hamas' military activities and its relationship with regional actors like Iran.
His leadership has been marked by multiple escalations of conflict with Israel, including the 2021 conflict, and he has been a prominent figure in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian struggle. Sinwar is viewed as both a strategist and a symbol of resistance by supporters, while Israel and its allies see him as a dangerous militant leader.
