Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar, who it is claimed once escaped Israeli intelligence by dressing as a woman in plain clothes, has been patrolling Gaza city trying to prevent other militant groups from challenging their authority. 

Sinwar is reportedly underground with 22 bound hostages, using them as human shields.

While betting that he will die of natural causes or old age, Israel has had several opportunities to assassinate Sinwar in the past decades and refrained due to his explicit warning: “One rocket for every senior HAMAS official you kill.”

Terrorist groups, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Mujahideen Brigades, al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigade and Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade stopped all contact with Sinwar. 

The Jewish Chronicle notes that those factions are lobbying for an agreement with Israel where their men in Israeli jails would be freed, while Sinwar is pushing instead for the release of Hamas prisoners.

The Chronicle also quoted from the reports that “Sinwar has begun to step up terror activity in Judea and Samaria, in an attempt to make life more difficult for Israelis throughout Israel itself —and possibly draw IDF focus away from Gaza at least briefly.” 

According to intelligence sources, the man who Sinwar has instructed for this mission is top Hamas financier Zaher Jabarin.

“We have actually been minutes away more than once,” Shalom Ben Hanan of Shin Bet said. “As we have discovered through other elimination operations, Sinwar will not be sitting in underground tunnels or special underground zones for more than 24 to 36 hours at a time. He knows we can find such underground locations through advanced technology. And he knows if a mistake is made or we find sources to tell us where he is, he needs to be on the move – to avoid that mistake becoming fatal for him. We are looking for him using technology and human intelligence, and believe he is likely to be hiding in plain sight.”

“Israeli assets inside Gaza are said to be equipped with instant DNA kits, which they deploy on suspects by taking a drop of blood during a seemingly innocent handshake. This can be analyzed in moments and his identity confirmed before he can move location,” Express reported.

Last week, Sinwar allegedly insisted on guarantees Israel would not assassinate him as part of a deal. One Egyptian official told Ynet that “Sinwar makes it clear – the security of his life and well being must be maintained.

Betty Lahat, a former warden of the Hasharon Prison where Sinwar was detained said he proved himself to be “a fighter and cruel. “Until his arrest, he ruled by fear and horror,” she told. He would create holes, dump in alleged squealers and douse them with cementing chemicals while they were viscerally breathing. He also had people outside go commit acts of violence against those he disliked from prison. But he never got his hands dirty.

The problem is that he would sit in the back and instigate, like he had inmates stab officers or get everything riled up behind closed doors,” Lahat said. He’d take some sap, say ‘Stab a screw,’ and call him mad as hell with nothin’ left to lose. He had never risen to the occasion or led any of us. On the contrary. He did fear a little when after any incident he organized an investigation. Hide behind others.”