Why Yahya Sinwar Had Rejected An Arab Offer To Escape Gaza

Yahya Sinwar, the eliminated Hamas leader, reportedly rejected a pivotal opportunity to escape Gaza. U.S., Arab, and Hamas officials were quoted in a recent Wall Street Journal article that made this claim. In return for letting Egypt negotiate a ceasefire-hostage agreement in lieu of Hamas, Sinwar declined. Sinwar turned down the offer despite the fact that it would escalate the violence in Gaza since Hamas-run health officials reported a high civilian death toll. Sinwar expected the war that the October 7 assaults had started to intensify. His goal was to get Iran and its allies to join Israel in a larger regional war. The Wall Street Journal claims that he told Arab mediators, "I'm not under siege; I'm on Palestinian soil," in a belligerent manner. Sinwar had estimated that a high number of civilian deaths would sway international opinion against Israel and force them to make concessions. According to the magazine, Sinwar thought the terror organization would eventually need to negotiate a truce following Israel's retaliation against Hezbollah and the murder of six captives by Hamas. He told Hamas leaders outside of Gaza not to compromise, claiming that pressure from other countries will compel Israel to make concessions.

Sinwar's Strategic Post-Mortem PlansSinwar allegedly braced himself for his possible death as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) closed in on him. In a note to his supporters, he said that Hamas would be in a stronger position to engage in negotiations following his removal. Arab mediators said he suggested forming a council of leaders to oversee the transition after his passing. Israeli Leadership's Missed OpportunitiesThe report from the Wall Street Journal also clarified the choices made by Israeli leadership over the abolition of Sinwar. Before the October 7 strikes, Israeli leaders had many chances to attack Sinwar but did not take significant action. Due to internal conflicts and bad timing, Sinwar was able to avoid being eliminated. According to reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had approved two unsuccessful attacks against Sinwar and Mohammed Deif. At the time, officials downplayed Sinwar's threat to Israel, despite former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's calls for his abolition. Bennett tried once more in 2022 to have his cabinet to take action against Sinwar, but authorities kept downplaying the threat posed by Hamas. The October 7 Attacks and Their AftermathMore than 1,200 people were killed in a coordinated attack on southern Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023. Over 250 people were kidnapped as a result of the attackers' murderous, plundering, and sexual assaults. There are still over 100 captives in Gaza, some of whom were reportedly slain by their captors, despite the fact that several were freed in a later ceasefire agreement.