Israeli Forces Say Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar Hiding Underground, Proceed to Third Phase of Ground Operations

Yahya Sinwar is the elected leader of Hamas.

Israeli forces said that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was hiding underground and suggested getting close to his location, proceeding to the third phase of their ground operations in the devastated Gaza Strip.

The Chief of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) General Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, said that the IDF surrounded southern Gaza and its main city, Khan Younis, where multiple top officials have said Sinwar was hiding. However, the outlet said there was no precise timeline for capturing or killing him.

Israeli Forces Found Yahya Sinwar's Possible Underground Hideout

PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-GAZA
Yahya Sinwar, leader of the Palestinian Hamas movement, gestures on stage during a rally in Gaza City on May 24, 2021. A ceasefire was reached late last week after 11 days of deadly violence between Israel and the Hamas movement which runs Gaza, stopping Israel's devastating bombardment on the overcrowded Palestinian coastal enclave which, according to the Gaza health ministry, killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and wounded more than 1,900 people. Meanwhile, rockets from Gaza claimed 12 lives in Israel, including one child and an Israeli soldier. MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli forces were moving through the Gaza Strip, which Hamas had controlled since 2007, and determined to proceed with the third phase of their ground operations in the territory.

Israeli ground operations have been ongoing for weeks but stopped for a while due to the temporary ceasefire to release Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. However, Israeli forces were now working their way through the Strip southwards, and Halevi said the IDF was now operating in Hamas strongholds in southern Gaza, like the city of Khan Younis.

"[Yahya] Sinwar is the address," Halevi said in a short clip posted by the IDF. The IDF declined the request to comment to Newsweek on the reports over IDF operations linked to Sinwar's possible location and Khan Younis.

The increased military operations in southern Gaza have caused a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, said on Tuesday that his humanitarian colleagues described the situation as apocalyptic, which presents a heightened risk of atrocity crimes.

On Tuesday, Israeli forces experienced the most intense day since the beginning of the ground operation. The IDF commander said that Israeli troops were now in the heart of Khan Younis as well as the northern Gazan areas of Jabaliya and Shejaiya.

"Yahya Sinwar decided upon this abominable attack," Halevi said. Israel's foreign ministry added that Sinwar was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks against Israelis, including the deadly Hamas Massacre on October 7th.

Who is Yahya Sinwar?

Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, was believed to be the mastermind of the recent Hamas attack that changed the course of Israeli-Palestinian history. His nickname among Palestinians is 'the butcher of Khan Younis,' where he grew up in southern Gaza.

Sinwar spent more than two decades behind bars in Israel and was freed 12 years ago in a hostage ransom deal with his brother. He served four life sentences, accused of playing a role in killing Israeli soldiers and Palestinian collaborators with Israel.

In early October, Sinwar outsmarted Israel with the same hostage-taking strategy, and later on, resulted in Israel's deadliest day on record. Israel has vowed to kill Sinwar, and Israeli leaders have deemed him a psychopath.

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