Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, who was presumed dead following Israeli strikes in Gaza on September 21, is reportedly alive and has allegedly made secret contact with Qatar. While the contact was not direct, it was established through Khalil al-Hayah, a senior figure in Hamas, according to a senior Qatari diplomat cited by The Jerusalem Post.
The report suggests that Sinwar, who orchestrated the October 7 attacks on Israel, has ceased communication because he believed Israel was not serious about negotiating a hostage-ceasefire deal. This comes despite Israel’s probing into Sinwar’s potential death after a rocket strike hit a school housing displaced Palestinians in Gaza City.
Earlier reports had indicated that Qatari officials believed Sinwar had surrounded himself with hostages before going silent. This led to speculation that he had been killed in the Israeli strikes, which targeted a Hamas command center and claimed the lives of 22 people, including women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Sinwar’s potential death was investigated by Israeli officials based on military intelligence, as reported by Israeli journalist Ben Caspit. He became the leader of Hamas in August, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated in an explosion in Iran. Known as a prominent figure within Hamas since its establishment in 1987, Sinwar earned the moniker “The Butcher of Khan Younis” after being convicted of murdering two Israeli personnel and 12 suspected collaborators. He was sentenced to four life terms for his crimes.
The recent news of Sinwar’s alleged contact with Qatar raises questions about the future of negotiations between Israel and Hamas. It remains to be seen if this contact will lead to a ceasefire or if the conflict will continue.
