IDF footage purportedly shows Yahya Sinwar's last moments before assassination

IDF has released drone footage which purportedly shows the final moments of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas political leader, alone in a heavily shelled Gaza apartment, The Guardian reported.

The video, which The Guardian has not independently verified, appears to show Sinwar sitting in a chair with his face obscured by a scarf and his right arm severely wounded.

In the footage, Sinwar is seen flinging a wooden stick towards the approaching drone before an additional shell fired by Israeli forces causes the building to collapse. According to Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari, Sinwar was identified as a fighter during the drone surveillance, leading to the subsequent strike that resulted in his death.

Hagari added that Sinwar was found with a bulletproof vest, grenades, and 40,000 shekels in cash.

The Israeli forces had been searching for Sinwar for months, gradually narrowing down the areas where he could operate, believing he had taken refuge in Gaza’s underground tunnel network. Dental records and DNA tests confirmed his death.

Israeli troops finally located Sinwar after a gunfight in the Tal El Sultan area of southern Gaza, where they believed senior Hamas members were hiding.

Hamas has yet to comment on the killing of its leader, and photos of a man resembling Sinwar have circulated online, showing a body half buried in the rubble with a severe head wound.

Yesterday, Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas' politburo, had been confirmed dead following an Israeli military strike in Gaza. The 62-year-old had taken over Hamas' leadership after the assassination of former politburo chief Ismael Haniyeh in Tehran in July.

Initial reports emerged from Israeli officials, and confirmation came later from both Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz and the Israeli army. The news of Sinwar's death has reverberated throughout Gaza, a region that has endured significant devastation due to ongoing Israeli bombardments.

Sinwar was known not only as a key figure in Hamas but also as a complex character who understood the Israeli psyche. Having spent 23 years imprisoned in Israel, he learned Hebrew and studied Israeli society, a unique perspective for someone regarded as a primary adversary by Israel.

Born in the Khan Younis refugee camp, Sinwar authored several novels, including “The Thorn and Carnation,” which explores the Palestinian refugee experience.

The book’s protagonist, Ahmed, narrates the family’s struggles against the backdrop of the 1948 Nakba when many Palestinians, including Sinwar's family, were forcibly displaced from their homes.

In his works, he intertwines personal narratives with broader historical events, documenting the political landscape from 1967 to the Second Intifada, which lasted from 2000 to 2005. His storytelling emphasises that both secular and religious movements, like Fatah and Hamas, are united in their struggle for liberation from Israeli occupation.

His second novel, “Glory,” published in 2010, addresses the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, and its impact on Palestinian lives. Sinwar's writings resonate with the experiences of many Palestinians, illustrating the long-standing policies of displacement and violence they face.

After his release from prison in a 2011 prisoner swap, Sinwar returned to a Gaza that had seen a shift in governance following Israel's withdrawal in 2005. By the early 2010s, he had taken on significant responsibilities within Hamas, fostering relationships with regional allies like Hezbollah.

In 2017, he became the top military leader of Hamas, orchestrating operations against Israel.