From the founder of the Majd apparatus, over to the detainee sentenced to 425 years in prison by the occupation authorities, then onto the leader of Hamas, then the commander of the Al-Tufan (The Flood Operation) all the way leading to the fighting martyr.
This is the martyred leader Yahya Sinwar.
Yahya Sinwar - Birth and Upbringing
Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar was born into a modest family from the occupied village of Majdal Asqalan (now known as: Ashkelon). The family moved from Majdal to Gaza (Khan Younis refugee camp) during the Nakba.
Sinwar was born in Khan Younis on October 19, 1962, and received his basic education at Khan Younis Secondary School for Boys, one of the UNRWA schools.
Yahya Sinwar - Academic Achievement and Student Activities
Yahya Sinwar enrolled at the Islamic University of Gaza, earning a bachelor's degree in Arabic language. During this time, he joined the Islamic Bloc (the student wing of Hamas) and held various positions such as the secretary of the sports committee, vice president of the student bloc, then president of the student council, and secretary of the artistic committee. He also founded the "Al-A'idoun" "The Returners" Islamic arts troupe.
Before graduating, he was arrested by the Israeli occupation on charges of joining the Muslim Brotherhood's military committee, where he spent 4 months in prison. After his release, he founded the Da’wah Security Apparatus (a specialized unit for tracking occupation spies).
Yahya Sinwar - Establishing the Security Apparatus
In 1985, the Israelis arrested Sinwar again on charges of establishing the security apparatus, and he was then detained for 8 months. After his release, Sinwar further developed the security work, and the apparatus became known as the "Majd Security Apparatus." The unit succeeded in uncovering and eliminating a number of spies.
Sinwar was arrested again by the occupation after eliminating the occupation's agents, and he was sentenced to 425 years in prison. He was 26 years old at the time and spent most of his youth behind bars. He was not released until 2011 at the age of 50.
"Sleep peacefully, Abu Ammar"... Yahya Sinwar pays tribute to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Yahya Sinwar - Arrests
Yahya Sinwar's first arrest occurred in 1982, during which Israeli occupation forces held him in administrative detention for four months.
In 1985, he was arrested again for eight months, accused of establishing a security apparatus for Hamas, known as "Majd."
In 1988, Sinwar was arrested once more and sentenced to four life terms after being charged with establishing a security apparatus and participating in founding the movement's first military wing, known as "Palestinian Mujahideen."
He was released in 2011 as part of the "Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal" (Wafa al-Ahrar), which secured the release of over a thousand Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Following his release, Sinwar participated in Hamas's internal elections in 2012, winning a seat on the political bureau of the movement. He also took on the responsibility of overseeing the military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
Sinwar Inside Israeli Prisons
During his time in prison, Sinwar took the opportunity to study the Hebrew language and listen to Hebrew media channels. He analyzed Israeli society to understand its mindset and identify its weaknesses. He authored a novel titled "Al-Shawk wal-Qarnafl" (Thorns and Carnations), where he discussed his experience of the struggle since 1976.
Within the prison, Sinwar also established a unit similar to the Majd security apparatus with the mission of exposing imprisoned spies (known as "Asafeer" (birds) or informers). He appointed detainees to listen to Israeli radio stations and television channels, and to write reports that would be submitted to him for analysis.
During his time in prison, Sinwar was diagnosed with brain cancer and underwent surgery in 2004 while still imprisoned.
Sinwar was a key leader of strikes inside the prisons, serving as the leader of the Supreme Committee of Hamas Prisoners in Israeli jails.
Yahya Sinwar - The Doctor Who Operated on Sinwar Speaks About His Mindset
The doctor who performed the surgery on Yahya Sinwar shared insights into Sinwar's mindset, emphasizing his strategic thinking and resilience, traits that defined his leadership both inside and outside of prison.
Yahya Sinwar - Release from Captivity
In 2006, Hamas captured the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, initiating negotiations with the Israelis for a prisoner exchange deal that would secure the release of Palestinian prisoners in return for Shalit’s freedom.
During these negotiations, Sinwar played a leading role from inside Israeli prisons. He would sometimes delay the negotiations to increase the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, even if it meant sacrificing his own chance for freedom. As a result of his insistence and stance, the Israelis placed him in solitary confinement to pressure him into accepting the deal.
Interview with Sinwar During His Time in Israeli Prisons
Yahya Sinwar was released after the completion of the prisoner exchange deal known as the "Wafa al-Ahrar" deal "The Deal of the Free", facilitated by Hamas in 2011.
Sinwar’s Writings Inside Israeli Prisons
The novel "Al-Shawk wal-Qarnafl" (Thorns and Carnations/Clove) was not the only work Sinwar authored while in prison. He also wrote:
- Al-Majd (Glory)
- Hamas: Experience and Error
- Shabak Among the Ruins
- Israeli Parties
Yahya Sinwar - Return to Political Life
One year after his release, in 2012, Sinwar won the elections for membership in the political bureau of Hamas. In 2013, he took charge of the military wing of the movement, known as "Al-Qassam," and later oversaw the file of Israeli prisoners held by Hamas. In 2017, Sinwar was elected as the head of Hamas’s political bureau in the Gaza Strip.
The Battle of "Operation Protective Edge" and the "Sword of Jerusalem"
After taking leadership of Hamas in Gaza, Sinwar led the movement through several military operations, which put him at the top of Israel's assassination lists.
Sinwar Challenges the Occupation
The Al-Aqsa Flood Battle - The Largest Palestinian Resistance Attack on the Occupation
In complete secrecy and after strategic deception, Sinwar led the operation against the occupation. While the occupation believed he sought peace and a comfortable life, they were surprised by Al-Qassam Brigades' incursion into Israeli settlements. The operation seized control of multiple areas around the Gaza Strip and inside its perimeter, including Zikim, Sderot, Mivtahim, Kisufim, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, Eshkol, and Rafah. Rockets also struck farther areas, including Tel Aviv, Lod, Jerusalem, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Sderot, and Be'er Sheva.
The Palestinian resistance succeeded in capturing more than 150 Israelis, most of whom were soldiers, intending to exchange them for Palestinian prisoners.
The Martyrdom of Sinwar
On October 17, 2024, the Israeli occupation army announced the death of Yahya Sinwar, following a direct clash with occupation forces. He died in a manner befitting a leader, not content to manage operations from underground tunnels, but instead choosing to confront the Israeli soldiers on the ground. He was martyred in combat with Israeli forces in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Contrary to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims, he was not hiding in a tunnel.
This martyrdom is seen as a "heroic end, deserving of a man like him, for he died with his weapon in hand, not hiding like a rat or using civilians as human shields," as Israel’s leaders often claimed. Moreover, he was martyred by chance and not as a result of any sophisticated military or intelligence operation.
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