Ex Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar Seen Inside Tunnel Hours Before October 7 Attack

Israel on Saturday released footage showing Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar moving his belongings to a tunnel in Gaza hours before the October 7 attack last year that triggered the ongoing war.

The footage was released following Sinwar’s death in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in a firefight that ended with the Hamas leader cornered and alone in a destroyed building. The footage shows Sinwar and his wife and children moving belongings, including a television, water, pillows and mattresses, into the tunnel that Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said was located under the family home in Khan Younis.

During a press briefing, Hagari showed photos of the underground compound, which had toilets, showers and a kitchen. Food, cash and documents were also found there. Hamas, meanwhile, said Sinwar died heroically engaging in battle, calling Hagar’s remarks “blatant lies”.

Drone footage from earlier this week showed Sinwar critically wounded in his last moments, throwing an object at the drone. Autopsy found that Sinwar was killed by a gunshot to the head, and also found one of his fingers was cut off.

During a year of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Israel Defence Forces had often closed in on Sinwar, but the latter managed to escape. Israel had identified Sinwar’s final hiding after the military found “his DNA sample on a tissue with which he blew his nose,” said Hagari.

While the October 7 attack in Israel killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 235 people being taken hostage, the Israel operation in Gaza over a year has resulted in over 40,000 deaths.

The death of Sinwar, who had just months ago replaced slain predecessor Ismail Haniyeh, raises questions on who will lead the Hamas amid a war that has also drawn in Lebanon. Israeli attacks on Lebanon killed at least 2,350 people over the last year, according to the Lebanese health ministry, with more than 1.2 million people displaced. Hezbollah attacks have killed 50 Israeli soldiers and civilians, according to Israel.