After the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, his 49-year-old brother Mohammad Sinwar is emerging as a potential candidate to succeed him as Hamas’s leader, despite widespread belief that Mohammad had died in 2014.
The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) strike has left the militant group without a key figure and may represent a significant shift in Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Sinwar had dedicated years to strengthening Hamas’s military capabilities and is thought to have orchestrated the October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel.
Who is Mohammad Sinwar?
Born in 1975 in a refugee camp in Khan Younis, located in the southern Gaza Strip, Mohammad Sinwar has played a prominent role in Hamas. The IDF identifies him as the head of the group’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Following the death of Mohammed Deif, the previous commander, in a July 13 Israeli airstrike, Mohammad took over leadership of the Brigades.
What are the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades?
Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by various governments, operates both politically and militarily. The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades function as its armed wing, providing military capabilities and acting separately from Hamas’s political faction. The Australian government has independently designated the Brigades as a terrorist entity, initially in 2003 and again in 2021, describing the group as highly secretive, using compartmentalized cells to carry out terror attacks, assassinations, and kidnappings within Israel. Since its first recorded attack in 1993, the Brigades have been responsible for over 350 attacks, killing more than 500 people in the Gaza region.
Is Mohammad Sinwar alive or dead?
Although Mohammad Sinwar was reported killed by the IDF during a 2014 strike as part of Operation Protective Edge, evidence later surfaced suggesting he may have survived. In November 2023, Israeli forces uncovered documents during a raid on a Hamas compound that allegedly belonged to the Sinwar brothers. A video released in December 2023 by the Israeli army purportedly shows Mohammad Sinwar alive, traveling through a tunnel near the Erez crossing, a border area between Gaza and Israel.
What might happen next?
With Yahya Sinwar’s death, questions about Hamas’s future leadership have emerged. Analysts suggest that Mohammad Sinwar could take over as the group’s next leader. If so, this could mean Hamas continues its aggressive conflict with Israel, prolonging the suffering of Gaza’s population. However, some believe that Hamas’s political leaders, who reside in Qatar, may seek to assume control of the organization.
The current leadership of Hamas has largely been based in Qatar for years, and Yahya Sinwar’s leadership in Gaza was an exception due to his role in planning the October 7 attacks.
Will Israel end its military action?
Some experts think Israel may use Yahya Sinwar’s death to claim a strategic victory, potentially pushing for a ceasefire or an agreement to free hostages held by Hamas. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the death of Sinwar would not signal the end of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, stating that the war could end if Hamas surrenders and releases the hostages.
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