Jerusalem: In a dramatic turn of events, Israel’s military was moments away from executing a targeted operation to kill Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, when the mission was abruptly called off due to the presence of hostages at his hideout. Reports from Israeli news outlet N12 revealed that Sinwar’s secret location in Gaza had been identified, with Israel preparing to strike before deciding to halt the operation.
Yahya Sinwar, who has been frequently changing his location since the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was within reach of Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) special elite commandos in Gaza. However, as the forces surrounded Sinwar’s hideout, it became apparent that hundreds of hostages were being held there, putting their lives at risk if an assault were to take place.
While the IDF had the opportunity to neutralise Sinwar, the decision was made to hold back, given the potential loss of innocent lives. Israel feared that Sinwar might use the hostages as human shields or even execute them in retaliation during an attack. As a result, the mission was aborted, leaving the Hamas leader still at large.
Yahya Sinwar is notorious for his role in orchestrating the 7th October 2023 attack on Israel, which led to the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the taking of 251 hostages. Often referred to as the “bin Laden of Gaza,” Sinwar has been a key figure in Hamas since succeeding Ismail Haniya, who was assassinated in Tehran.
The failed mission to capture or kill Sinwar has raised questions about Israel’s approach to dealing with high-profile Hamas leaders, as well as the ongoing hostage crisis.