Mohammad Sinwar

Mohammad Sinwar, born on September 16, 1975, in the Khan Younis refugee camp, is the brother of senior terrorist Yahya Sinwar. Fueled by animosity towards the “Zionist idea,” both brothers became involved in subversive activities against Israel. He grew up under the ideological influence of Abd al-Aziz al-Rantisi, a co-founder of Hamas.

In 1991, Mohammad was arrested by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on suspicion of terrorist activities and was imprisoned for nine months. During this time, he was connected to criminals and used them to gather votes for his brother’s appointment as head of the supreme leadership committee of Hamas prisoners. After his release, he developed close relationships with field commanders who became key figures, including Mohammed Deif and Sa’ad Al-Arabid. Mohammad was also arrested multiple times by the Palestinian Authority security forces under Israeli pressure, spending three years in their custody. His importance grew further in April 2003 when Al-Arabid was killed in an IDF helicopter strike.

Mohammad Sinwar operated alongside senior Hamas commanders and maintained connections with key figures like Hassan Salameh. His ability to operate discreetly allowed him to gain influence and accumulate operational experience, establishing him as a key figure in Hamas’s military strategy. A former Israeli security official noted that Mohammad Sinwar was the target of more operations than any other senior Hamas figure, and his house was destroyed several times over the past two decades. In 2005, Hamas broke its tradition of secrecy and identified Sinwar as the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade.

One of Mohammad’s most significant operations was orchestrating the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006, which led to the 2011 prisoner-captive exchange in which his brother Yahya was freed. Eyal Borda, head of the Intelligence Division in the Israel Prison Service until 2017, confirmed that Mohammad Sinwar was the mastermind behind the Shalit kidnapping. Military sources describe Mohammad Sinwar as even more ruthless than his brother Yahya.

Upon Yahya’s release, Mohammad introduced him to key figures and processes, which allowed him to accumulate power. Mohammad’s importance increased as senior members of Hamas’s military wing were eliminated. During Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014, Raed al-Attar and Mahmoud Abu Shamaleh, close associates who were considered potential replacements for Mohammed Deif, were killed. That same day, rumors of Deif’s death circulated. These events further solidified Mohammad’s standing. He served as the commander of Khan Yunis, and even subsequent commanders operated under his influence. He also served as Deif’s representative on the ground.

Mohammad Sinwar played a crucial role in planning Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. Following Yahya’s elimination in October 2024, Hamas chose to run Gaza with a council to complicate Israel’s efforts to eliminate the group’s leadership. Since then, Mohammad Sinwar has become the most prominent member of this council, spearheading efforts to rebuild Hamas’s strength. He reportedly directs his men to recruit thousands of new members by promising food and medicine amidst Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.

In December 2023, a video showed Sinwar traveling through a tunnel network near the Israeli community of Netiv Haasara and the Erez crossing. In response, the IDF distributed flyers in Gaza, offering a $300,000 reward for information leading to his capture. In February 2024, IDF forces raided and destroyed Mohammad Sinwar’s office at the Al-Qadisiyah post in Khan Younis.

Hamas officials have alleged that when Yahya Sinwar was released from Israeli prison in 2011, senior military branch officials and security prisoner leaders accused Mohammad of pedophilia and sexual harassment. Israeli security sources claim that Yahya Sinwar used his authority to cover up these allegations. According to these sources, the Shin Bet learned of these affairs from Hezbollah terrorist Samir Kuntar, who stated that Yahya Sinwar forbade investigating the claims to protect his brother.

Many in Gaza believe Mohammad Sinwar is more significant in the military than his brother Yahya. Mohammad Sinwar has survived six assassination attempts and has been nicknamed “the living dead” after Hamas falsely announced his death in 2014 to mislead Israeli intelligence.

On May 13, 2025, Sinwar was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a high-level meeting of Hamas commanders in Khan Younis. The attack targeted an underground tunnel where senior Hamas officials had convened, breaching the group’s usual security protocols. On May 28, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially confirmed his death.

Sources: Yoni Ben Menachem, “Mohammad Sinwar: The Possible Successor to Mohammad Deif,” JCFA, (July 17, 2024).
Amir Bohbot, “Who is Mohammed Sinwar? Hamas’s covert leader in the fight against Israel - explainer,” Jerusalem Post, (September 7, 2024).
Einav Halabi, “Mohammed Sinwar: The ruthless brother who ‘came back from the dead’ – Hamas’ heir apparent?” Ynet, (October 17, 2024).
Ronny Reyes, “How Oct. 7 mastermind’s elusive little brother Mohammad Sinwar, known as ‘The Shadow,’ rebuilt Hamas despite 15 months of brutal war with Israel: ‘Carries a lot of clout,’” New York Post, (January 26, 2025).
Guy Assif, “The Shadow from Khan Younis: The Intelligence File on Mohammad Sinwar Revealed,” Ynet, (February 14, 2025). [Hebrew]
“Sinwar killed in Israeli strike on high-level Hamas meeting, buried in secrecy: report,” Ynet, (May 23, 2025).
“Hamas's Gaza chief Mohammad Sinwar has been 'eliminated', says Netanyahu,” Sky News, (May 28, 2025).