In the chaotic aftermath of the October 7 atrocities, Yahya Sinwar, the elusive and cunning leader of Hamas, is resorting to desperate measures to evade Israeli forces determined to bring him to justice. Sinwar, known for his ruthless rise to power, has abandoned the notorious terror tunnels of Gaza and is now reportedly hiding among the very civilians he claims to protect, disguised as a woman.
According to Israeli intelligence sources, Sinwar, once the feared architect behind Hamas's most heinous attacks, is now a man on the run, blending into the throngs of displaced Palestinians in a bid to escape Israel's relentless pursuit. The United Kingdom's "Daily Express" revealed over the weekend that Sinwar's days of hiding deep underground in Gaza's labyrinthine tunnels may be over as Israeli forces close in on him with unprecedented precision.
The man who once struck fear into his rivals, forcing them into exile or submission, is now consumed with fear for his own life. Promoted to the leader of Hamas's political wing following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this month, Sinwar has found himself at the top of Israel's hit list. The Israeli military believes that capturing or killing Sinwar would deliver a devastating blow to Hamas's leadership, potentially leading to the terror group's collapse.
Having learned that Yahya Sinwar dresses up as a woman to walk around Gaza, it's a bit easier to understand why Queers for Palestine love him (her?) so much. pic.twitter.com/FE9TPhTCFZ
ā Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) August 25, 2024
Such is Sinwar's desperation that, in a bid to save his own skin, he recently added a new condition to fragile ceasefire talks in Cairo. This move, which reeks of panic, highlights the extent of his concern for his safety as Israeli forces continue their relentless hunt.
The stakes have never been higher. Just ten days ago, Israeli forces came within mere minutes of capturing Sinwar during a daring raid on his underground lair. Brigadier General Dan Goldfus, the outgoing commander of the IDF's 98th division, recounted the near miss with a chilling detail: "We were close. We were in his underground compound. The coffee was still hot." Despite this close call, the 61-year-old Sinwar managed to slip away, once again evading capture.
Israeli Intelligence: Sinwar has abandoned the tunnels after almost being captured & is hiding amongst civilians, disguised as a woman.
ā Shiri_Sabra (@sabra_the) August 25, 2024
The hunt for Yayha Sinwar has entered a new & potentially final, phase. The Panicked Hamas leader is 'hiding in plain sight dressed as a woman pic.twitter.com/MM3jGv8BVx
But the net is tightening. Shalom Ben Hanan, a former leader of three divisions within Israel's security agency, the Shin Bet, and a key figure in the hunt for Sinwar, has revealed that Israeli forces have been within minutes of capturing the Hamas leader on more than one occasion. "As we have discovered through other elimination operations, Sinwar will not be sitting in underground tunnels or special underground zones for more than 24 to 36 hours at a time. He knows we can find such underground locations through advanced technology. And he knows if a mistake is made or we find sources to tell us where he is, he needs to be on the move ā to avoid that mistake becoming fatal for him."
Israeli intelligence is employing a combination of advanced technology and human intelligence in the pursuit of Sinwar. Assets inside Gaza are reportedly armed with instant DNA kits, allowing them to identify suspects with a drop of blood during what appears to be an innocent handshake. This technology ensures that Sinwar's identity can be confirmed within moments, leaving him little time to change location.
Yahya Sinwar reportedly hiding in plain sight 'dressed as a woman' - i24NEWS https://t.co/f7w9NiTrHa
ā i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) August 26, 2024
In addition to these cutting-edge techniques, a substantial reward has been offered for information leading to Sinwar's capture. The race against time is on, as Israeli forces intensify their efforts to bring one of the most wanted men in the world to justice.
Yahya Sinwar, once the feared leader of Hamas, is now a man living in constant fear, forced to hide among the very people he once sought to lead, disguised as one of them. But as Israeli forces close in, his time may be running out.
