Recent Israeli intelligence reports indicate that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has fled the terror tunnels under Gaza and is hiding among the Palestinian population "dressed as a woman."

Israeli intelligence officials spoke with U.K. news site Daily Express on Sunday evening, where they shared some information about Sinwar.

Brig. Gen. Dan Goldfus, the retiring commander of the IDF's 98th Division during its Gaza War operations, said that IDF soldiers came within minutes of catching Sinwar about ten days ago.

"We were close," Goldfus said. "We were in his underground compound. The coffee was still hot."

Since that moment, the 61-year-old abandoned the tunnels and has been hiding in plain sight, intelligence officials believe. Officials told the Daily Express they believe Sinwar moves among the displaced Palestinians in Gaza, dressed as a woman in order to evade Israeli forces.

Shalom Ben Hanan, who worked for Israel's Shin Bet, told the Express, "We have actually been minutes away more than once."

Ben Hanan said that Sinwar is unwilling to stay "underground in tunnels or special underground zones for more than 24 to 36 hours at a time."

"He knows we can find such underground locations through advanced technology," Ben Hanan stated. "And he knows if a mistake is made or we find sources to tell us where he is, we will get him. He needs to be on the move to avoid that mistake becoming fatal for him."

Following the successful killing of Sinwar's right-hand man, Mohammed Deif, the Hamas leader has reportedly stopped using electronic means of communication, over fears Israel could detect his location.

Intelligence officials believe he is now delivering instructions through human couriers, with messages passing through "many hands" before being delivered.

Ben Hanan said a future strike to eliminate Sinwar would likely be similar to the strike that killed Deif.

"We had to check our information several times and even at the last few minutes, to ensure he [Deif] was still inside," Ben Hanan said. "The Prime Minister himself had to give the go-ahead. It will be the same with Sinwar."

"Everybody makes mistakes – just as Deif did," Ben Hanan continued. "Mr. Sinwar will be killed."

Israeli military officials reportedly believe that killing Sinwar in the near future could destabilize Hamas sufficiently to enable an easier victory in the Gaza War, possibly eliminating the group as a future threat in the Gaza Strip.

According to the New York Times, the United States has been actively aiding Israel in the search for Sinwar. The Times said that the U.S. even provided Israel with ground-penetrating radar equipment to help in the search for the elusive Hamas leader.

The U.S. hopes that such support will lead to the rescue or release of U.S. hostages.

Saudi news site Asharq al-Awsat reported that Sinwar is insisting, as part of the hostage negotiation deal, that his life be spared.

As Israeli operations against Hamas continue, Sinwar is running out of places to hide.

Republished with permission from All Israel News