Yahya Sinwar is a Palestinian politician and the leader of Hamas, the Sunni Islamist political and military organization that controls the Gaza Strip

He has been the chief of Hamas in Gaza since February 2017, when he replaced Ismail Haniyeh.

Sinwar was born in 1962 in the Khan Yunis refugee camp, where he spent his early years.

He attended the Khan Yunis Secondary School for Boys and later the Islamic University of Gaza, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Arabic Studies.

Sinwar is considered to be one of the main figures connecting Hamas’s politburo with its armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades (IQB).

He has led a re-evaluation of Hamas’s external relations, including an improvement in relations with Egypt.

Sinwar has been arrested by Israel on a number of occasions, spending a total of 24 years in prison.

He was among the Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for Hamas’s freeing of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011.

Sinwar reportedly helped establish Hamas’s internal security force (“al-Majd”) in 1988.

In September 2015, Sinwar was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the US Department of State.

Yahya Sinwar upbringing

Sinwar was born in 1962 in a refugee camp in Khan Yunis, Gaza, and attended the Khan Yunis Secondary School for Boys.

After high school, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Arabic studies at the Islamic University of Gaza.

During his university years in 1982, Sinwar was arrested for the first time.

He became involved with Palestinian activists and dedicated himself to the Palestinian cause.

In 1985, he founded Hamas’s security branch, which was responsible for punishing “morality” offenders and executing Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel.

His actions earned him the nickname “the Butcher from Khan Younis.”

Subsequently, he was arrested again in 1988 and sentenced to four life terms in an Israeli prison for attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm through sabotage.

How old is Yahya Sinwar?

Sinwar was born in 1962, making him 61 years old as of November 2023.

Yahya Sinwar wife

Sinwar is known to have a wife and three children.

However, there is limited public information available about his wife.

According to a report from The Telegraph, little is known about his younger wife, but they have three children together – two boys and a girl.

The details about his wife’s name, background, and other personal information are not widely available in the public domain.

Therefore, the specific identity of Sinwar’s wife remains private and undisclosed in the public domain.

Yahya Sinwar brother

While Sinwar is a prominent figure within Hamas and the leader of the organization in Gaza, his brother, Mohammed Sinwar, is also a significant figure within Hamas and is considered to be an equally high-value target.

Mohammed is said to be in close contact with other key Hamas leaders and is reportedly a central figure within the Hamas command structure.

The Sinwar brothers have been the focus of Israeli efforts, with Mohammed Sinwar being a target of IDF operations.

Sinwar is known for his hardline stance and his efforts to achieve the loosening of the Israeli blockade on Gaza, which has been a priority for him.

Yahya Sinwar family

Nothing much is known about Sinwar’s family.

It is only understood that His family were expelled or fled from Al-Majdal Asqalan (Ashkelon) during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and sought refuge in the Gaza Strip.

What is Yahya Sinwar’s net worth?

As of 2023, Sinwar’s net worth is estimated to be between $1-3 million.

He is the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and has been associated with the group for a significant period of time.

Sinwar’s wealth is attributed to his role as the leader of a significant military organization, managing the financial resources associated with it.

Yahya Sinwar house

Sinwar’s house is in the Gaza Strip.

According to multiple sources, his house was targeted by Israeli rockets on October 7, 2023.

On November 7, 2023, Israel’s defense minister said that Sinwar had been “isolated” in his bunker, as IDF troops entered the heart of the terrorist group’s stronghold.

Yahya Sinwar brain surgery

Sinwar underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor while he was imprisoned in Israel in 2008.

This surgery is said to have saved his life, and it has been reported that Israeli doctors performed the operation.

Additionally, there are mentions of a brain abscess that Sinwar was diagnosed with, which required surgery in an Israeli hospital.

These reports highlight the complex medical history of Sinwar and his interactions with Israeli medical professionals.

Yahya Sinwar role in the Hamas – Israel war

As mentioned earlier, Sinwar is a prominent figure in the Hamas-Israel conflict.

He is the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, assuming office in February 2017.

Sinwar is known for his involvement in the security apparatus of Hamas and is considered a brutal enforcer within the organization.

He has been a key target for the Israeli military, with reports of him being trapped in a bunker.

Sinwar’s role in the conflict is significant, as he has been involved in leading Hamas and is believed to have been the architect of certain attacks.

His leadership and involvement in the conflict have made him a central figure in the ongoing tensions between Hamas and Israel.

Yahya Sinwar imprisonment and release

Sinwar was involved in terrorist activities against Israel in the 1980s and was imprisoned by Israel in 1988, subsequently sentenced to four life terms.

However, in 2011, he was released as part of a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, which included the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

After his release, Sinwar rose through the ranks of Hamas and became a key figure within its military wing.

Israel has recently vowed to eliminate him, viewing the elimination of terror chiefs such as Sinwar as key to eliminating Hamas in Gaza.

This situation reflects the complex and contentious nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the ongoing struggle for power and control in the region.

Hamas

Hamas, an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (“Islamic Resistance Movement”), is a militant Palestinian nationalist and Islamist movement founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian intifada (uprising) against Israeli occupation.

It was established by members of the Muslim Brotherhood and religious factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Hamas opposes the secular approach of the PLO to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rejects attempts to cede any part of Palestine, and embraces the use of violence, including acts of terrorism, as a means to achieve its goals.

The group’s founding charter, published in 1988, called for the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic society in historic Palestine.

Hamas wants all the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the River Jordan, which includes the modern state of Israel as well as the occupied West Bank and Gaza, and it refuses to recognize Israel.

The group has received backing from various countries, including Iran, Syria, Qatar and Turkey.

The current leaders of Hamas are Sinwar in Gaza and Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in exile.