Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas terrorist leader who was the mastermind behind the brutal October 7 attack on Israel, is hiding behind at least 15 hostages, according to American and Israeli officials, The New York Times reported.
As the U.S., Israel, and Egypt push Hamas to release the remaining hostages — which include as many as six Americans — Sinwar is negotiating behind a human shield made up of the very people Israeli forces are trying to rescue, officials said. The Times cited “people briefed on the negotiations” between Hamas and Israel who have blamed Sinwar for preventing a deal from being made that would release the hostages.
The outlet added that Sinwar is negotiating “from his hiding space deep in the tunnels below Gaza,” adding that his human shield of hostages “prevent[s] Israel from assassinating him.” Former U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff General Jack Keane also told Sky News that Sinwar could have as many as 20 hostages surrounding him and his family.
“My sources tell me that Sinwar, who is the number one leader in Gaza of the Hamas organization, has 15-20 hostages protecting him and his family,” Keane said.
U.S. officials made similar comments, in concurrence with Israeli intelligence, about Sinwar using hostages as human shields in February. Hamas terrorists kidnapped hundreds of civilians and soldiers from Israel during its October 7 attack. Israeli and U.S. officials said last month that it’s unclear how many hostages remain alive in Gaza.
Sinwar’s brutality has been evident over the course of Hamas’ war with Israel as he said in November that the October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people “was just a rehearsal.” Hamas terrorists have also said after being captured that the leaders of the terrorist organization, including Sinwar, hide under hospitals in Gaza.
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Terrorist leaders have hidden behind non-combatants in the past, with one of the most recent examples dating back to 2011, when Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden attempted to use women as human shields during the U.S. raid on his compound in Pakistan before he was killed by special forces, according to the White House. Officials added that one of the women Bin Laden was hiding behind was also killed.