A day after the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, the name of Mohammad Sinwar – the younger brother of the slain Palestinian leader – has emerged as the top contender to lead the outfit in its war against Israel.
Israeli security officials believe that Mohammad Sinwar will be appointed as the new Hamas leader, while Khalil al-Hayya, Yahya Sinwar’s deputy, will assume political responsibilities, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Who Is Mohammad Sinwar?
Born in 1975 in the Khan Yunis refugee camp, the younger brother of the Hamas leader and his family fled a village near Ashkelon in 1948, settling in the southern Gaza Strip. According to Israeli media, Mohammad Sinwar’s familial ties to his older brother cemented his status within both Israel’s security apparatus and the terror outfit.
“From the beginning of his career in Hamas, Mohammad worked alongside senior commanders, breathing and living pure terrorism,” an Israeli senior security official said. “Initially, he gained influence because of his family ties, but it didn’t take long for his operational abilities, cruelty, interpersonal skills, and understanding of military strategy to be recognised,” he added.
‘Central goal’
The Israeli, who tracked Mohammad Sinwar since childhood, said that “Working with senior leaders, along with the fact that his brother was imprisoned in Israel, sharpened his central goal: to carry out kidnappings that would lead to his brother’s release, as well as other security prisoners, rather than attacks aimed solely at killing.”
While it was not widely known, as per Israeli media reports, more targeted killings were attempted against the younger Sinwar than any other senior Hamas figure before the attack by the Palestinian outfit triggered the war.
“Mohammad Sinwar was not only pivotal in the military development of Hamas, evolving from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades to the military wing and eventually a full-fledged army, but he also played a leading and influential role in several phases of the process,” the former Israeli security official told The Jerusalem Post.
“It’s no coincidence that his house has been destroyed several times in the past two decades. The operations to eliminate him were almost fantastical in scope, but they failed,” the official added.
Life After Sinwar
After Sinwar’s killing, which follows Israeli assassinations of other Hamas leaders and commanders, a huge blow has been dealt to the Islamist group, which has faced relentless air strikes since it attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people.
It also dragged about 250 people back to Gaza, creating a hostage crisis for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which has vowed to eliminate Hamas. If Mohammad Sinwar is appointed the new chief of the Palestinian group, all eyes will be on him as Israel continues to eliminate top leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas.
(With agency inputs)
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