Yahya Sinwar - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Yahya Sinwar
يَحْيَى السِّنْوَارِ
Sinwar in 2012
Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau
In office 6 August 2024 – 16 October 2024
Deputy	Khalil al-Hayya
Preceded by	Ismail Haniyeh
Leader of Hamas in Gaza
In office 13 February 2017[1] – 16 October 2024
Prime Minister	Mohammed Awad Issam al-Da'alis
Preceded by	Ismail Haniyeh
Personal details
Born	Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar (1962-10-29)29 October 1962 Khan Yunis, Egyptian-administrated Gaza
Died	16 October 2024(2024-10-16) (aged 61) Rafah, Palestine
Cause of death	Killed in action
Nationality	Palestinian
Political party	Hamas
Spouse(s)	Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar ​ ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	3
Relatives	Mohammed Sinwar (brother)
Education	Islamic University of Gaza (BA)
Nickname(s)	Abu Ibrahim (kunya)
Allegiance	Hamas
Service/branch	Al-Qassam Brigades
Years of service	1987–2024
Battles/wars	First Uprising 2021 Palestine–Israel crisis Gaza–Israel war Operation Al-Aqsa Flood Invasion of Rafah †

Hamas biographies
Yassin + Haniyeh Rantisi Mashal Sinwar + Issa Deif Deif Mabhouh Khan Yunis Beit Hanoun Jabalia
Map: Birthplaces and family origins.
abbreviations p. parents from b. born in d. death
Leaders Party leader Ahmed Yassin b. Al-Jura, d. 2004 Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi b. Yibna, d. 2004 Ismail Haniyeh p. Al-Jura, b. Al-Shati, d. 2024 Khaled Mashal b. Silwad Leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar p. Al‑Majal, b. Khan Yunis Deputy Leader Saleh al-Arouri Military wing leader Mohammed Deif p. Kawkaba (near Kokhav Michael) and Al‑Qubayba, b. Khan Yunis d. Failed attempt in 2014 Possible death in 2024
Politicians and Officials Male politicians Basem Naim b. Beit Hanoun Head of International relations Previously: Health Minister Aziz Dweik Ali Baraka Mousa Abu Marzook Female politicians Jamila al-Shanti b. Jabalia, m. Widow of Rantisi, d.2023 Minister for Women's Affairs Government Officials in Gaza Faiq Al-Mabhouh p. Bayt Tima, b. Jabalia, d. 2024 Police and crisis management Ashraf al-Qidra Health Ministry spokesperson Officials in Lebanon Osama Hamdan
Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades Mohammed Deif p. Kawkaba (near Kokhav Michael) and Al‑Qubayba, b. Khan Yunis d. failed attempt in 2014 d. unconfirmed in 2024 Marwan Issa p. Ashkelon b. Bureij refugee camp Alleged Al Qassam militants Ahmed Jabari Lehi Street bomber Mahmoud Rushdi Ishtiwi [ar] Muhammad Abu Shamala [ar] Raed al Atar Alleged "Nukhba" Ali Al Qadi
Other Biography Pages Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh p. Bayt Tima b. Jabalia d. 2010 Ismail Abu Shanab Imad Abbas Imad al-Alami Salah al-Bardawil Wissam Farhat Essam al-Da'alis Abu Omar Hassan Sheikh Abu Salah Taha Hassan Yousef Mahmoud al-Zahar Mohammad Taha
v t e

Yahya Sinwar (Arabic: يَحْيَى السَّنْوَارُ ) (29 October 1962 – 16 October 2024) was a Palestinian politician who was the leader of Hamas in Gaza.^[2][3]

He was born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Egyptian-governed Gaza in 1962. His family were forcibly expelled from the city of Al-Majdal Asqalan by Jewish terrorists during the 1948 War.^[4] He completed his studies at the Islamic University of Gaza and received a degree in Arabic Studies.^[5]

For planning the capture and liquidation of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians accused of collaboration in 1989, he was sentenced to four life sentences by the Israeli regime, of which he served 22 years until his release among 1,026 others in a 2011 prisoner exchange. In 2017, he was elected as the leader of Hamas, and stated to pursue "peaceful, popular resistance" to the violent Israeli occupation the next year. He was re-elected as the leader of Hamas in 2021, and had a failed assassination against him by Israel that year.^[5]

In addition to his native Arabic, Sinwar spoke Hebrew, which he learned, along with insights into Israeli culture, during his time in Israel.^[5]

On 17 October 2024, Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet said they were looking into whether Sinwar was among three individuals killed in an operation in Gaza that had taken place the day before, though neither Israel or Hamas made any official confirmation.^[6] A body believed to be Sinwar's and a DNA sample were collected.^[7][8][9] According to Kan radio, the bodies of Sinwar and his associates were found with cash, weapons and fake IDs.^[10][11]

The IDF confirmed through DNA analysis that Sinwar had been killed a day earlier in Gaza during a firefight with the IDF.^[6][12][13]

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