Sources: Is Israel Close to Knowing the Location of Hamas Leader Sinwar?
Informed sources have revealed that Israeli forces are closing in on the leader of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, especially after Israel announced days ago the arrest of a senior officer in Hamas who held a sensitive position within the movement, responsible for the security of political and military leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, the top man in Gaza.
According to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, the arrest took place months ago but remained secret until now, with the identity of the detainee not disclosed by the authority, which only stated that he was responsible for protecting senior Hamas officials from any threat or danger.
The authority explained that the detainee provided important testimonies during interrogations, related to the behaviors and activities of Hamas leaders, and what he witnessed and experienced in the days leading up to the Israeli military operation on October 7th, and during the days of war until the moment of his arrest.
The authority noted that the detainee was working under the authority of the security unit of the military wing of Hamas, responsible for securing military leaders in ordinary times and political leaders in critical times.
Primary Objective
Israel considers Sinwar a primary target and is making significant efforts to determine his whereabouts. At the start of the war, Israel claimed Sinwar was hiding in northern Gaza, then claimed he had moved to his hometown of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army claimed to have attacked Sinwar’s office in Gaza and his home in Khan Younis but found no trace of him. Israeli intelligence says Sinwar is still in Gaza and may be in Khan Younis or Rafah.
The only time Sinwar’s presence in Gaza was confirmed after the war was when Israeli hostages released as part of a humanitarian ceasefire agreement met him and he told them he was Sinwar.
Hamas Demands
The Hamas movement demands the release of a large number of Palestinian detainees as part of prisoner exchange negotiations currently underway in Cairo. Israel has been holding 606 Palestinians from Gaza since the start of the war, classifying them as “illegal fighters” and preventing them from meeting with lawyers or being tried.
The Israeli army occasionally releases excerpts from the confessions of some of these detainees. Earlier, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir stated that these detainees are held in an underground section of the prison in the Negev, without seeing the sun, living in cramped cells with iron beds without mattresses, and forced to listen to the Israeli national anthem and other Israeli songs, including “The People of Israel Live.”
