As Israeli forces closed in on him in the Gaza Strip, Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar anticipated his death, leaving instructions for his group to avoid concessions and continue fighting, even as experts predict the war is far from over, the New York Post reported Monday.
Sinwar, the mastermind behind the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, had been preparing for his death, instructing his group to continue the fight without yielding to cease-fire negotiations. As Israeli forces targeted Gaza, Sinwar left behind a message, warning his fighters against making any concessions in peace talks, even after his death, according to Arab mediators cited by The Wall Street Journal.
Sinwar knew his time was limited, the Post reported, especially following the deaths of other officials from Hamas and Hezbollah, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in September.
In a message delivered to Hamas political leaders outside Gaza, Sinwar consistently dismissed cease-fire proposals, believing that extending the conflict would eventually favor Hamas.
Hamas appears to be following Sinwar's guidance. The group rejected an offer from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Friday, which proposed a surrender in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
Sinwar also advised the establishment of a council of leaders to govern Gaza and manage the transition to new leadership in the event of his death. Although it remains unknown who will succeed him, some fear it could be his brother, Mohammed Sinwar, who is seen as a reflection of Yahya Sinwar's ideals and played a crucial role in organizing the 2006 kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Experts suggest that Hamas, under new leadership, will likely continue its strategy of guerilla warfare rather than agreeing to a cease-fire. Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, D.C., told CNN: "[The war] has just started," warning that Hamas would continue its attacks, even at the cost of civilian lives.
The conflict is intensifying in northern Gaza, where Israeli forces claim to have cleared the area multiple times, only to face renewed resistance from Hamas fighters.
Despite Israel's military superiority, Ibish compared the Gaza war to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, suggesting that Israel might struggle to secure a decisive victory.
Sinwar's death last Thursday, reportedly during an airstrike in Rafah, marks a pivotal moment in the conflict. Israeli officials believe Sinwar had been operating under aliases in southern Gaza, using handwritten messages to avoid electronic surveillance by Israeli forces. This low-tech strategy was intended to evade Israel's sophisticated detection methods.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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