The Hamas Movement on Friday marked the second anniversary of the martyrdom of its former political bureau chief, Yahya Sinwar, who was martyred during an armed confrontation with Israeli forces in Rafah, southern Gaza, on October 16, 2024.
In a brief statement, the Movement said Sinwar had ushered in a new phase of confrontation with the Israeli occupation, the repercussions of which continue to shape the Palestinian and regional landscape.
Hamas said Sinwar was killed while fighting Israeli forces in Rafah, describing his final moments as a reflection of his determination to continue the confrontation until the end.
Sinwar was among Hamas’s most prominent leaders. He became the Movement’s leader in Gaza in 2017 before assuming the position of political bureau chief in August 2024, succeeding Ismail Haneyya, who was assassinated in Tehran.
His name became closely associated with the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, known by Hamas as Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, and the subsequent Israeli war on Gaza.
Sinwar was martyred in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah after months of being one of Israel’s most wanted targets during the war. Images released by the Israeli military following his martyrdom showed him at the confrontation site wearing military attire, with weapons and ammunition.
Born in Khan Yunis refugee camp in 1962, Sinwar became active in Hamas’s organizational work during his university years. Israeli authorities arrested him in 1988 and sentenced him to four life terms in prison.
He was released in 2011 under the prisoner exchange agreement known as the Wafa al-Ahrar deal, after spending approximately 23 years in Israeli prisons.
On October 18, 2024, Hamas officially confirmed Sinwar’s martyrdom, with senior official Khalil al-Hayya declaring that the Movement would continue its political and military activities.
Source:Websites
