‘We’ll catch him, dead or alive’: IDF releases footage of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza tunnel

The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday released a video that purportedly shows the Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar inside a tunnel below the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, with his wife, children and his brother Ibrahim Sinwar.

Spotted: Yahya Sinwar running away and hiding in his underground terrorist tunnel network as Gazan civilians suffer above ground under the rule of Hamas terrorism.

There is no tunnel deep enough for him to hide in. pic.twitter.com/KLjisBFq1f

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 13, 2024

If confirmed, it would be the first time Sinwar has been spotted since he went into hiding ahead of Hamas’s 7 October terror onslaught.

Presenting the video during his routine press briefing, Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), revealed that the footage had been acquired from a Hamas CCTV camera on October 10 and recently procured by the IDF.

“That’s how he escaped with his family underground in a tunnel to one of the safe accommodation complexes he had built in advance,” Hagari said.

Hagari added that the video was a “result of our hunt” for Sinwar and that “the hunt will not stop until he is captured, dead or alive. We are determined to capture him. We will capture him.”

According to a Times of Israel report, Hagari unveiled the footage amid reports circulating in Hebrew media, allegedly leaked by unnamed security officials, suggesting that the IDF was drawing closer to apprehending the leader of the terrorist organisation.

The release of the footage coincided with a meeting in Cairo attended by high-ranking officials from Israel, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, aimed at negotiating a prolonged ceasefire and potential hostage exchange.

The one-minute clip, recorded on October 10, shows Sinwar inside a tunnel beneath Khan Younis, a southern city in Gaza. Sinwar is accompanied by what appears to be his wife and three children, led by his brother Ibrahim, as confirmed by the IDF.

Sinwar appears to be in good health, carrying a bag and wearing Adidas flip-flops. One of his daughters is seen clutching a doll as they traverse the tunnel.

The video was taken from Hamas surveillance footage from the tunnels that was recently retrieved by IDF troops operating in the area.

While Sinwar’s back is facing the camera, the IDF was able to identify him by the larger size of the figure’s ears and by using artificial intelligence, Channel 12 reported.

An Israeli official told Channel 12 that the authorities are in possession of additional footage of Siwnar, including clips that were filmed more recently.

Sinwar has been described as Israel’s most-wanted man in Gaza. The Israeli military has declared him a “dead man walking,” nicknaming him in one profile as “the Butcher from Khan Younis” for his alleged role in planning the October 7 attack.

In December, the IDF encircled Sinwar’s residence but came up empty-handed, speculating that he might be sheltering underground. An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later remarked that capturing him was “merely a question of time.”

Nevertheless, Sinwar continues to evade capture, even amidst a relentless Israeli offensive on Khan Younis, his native city.

With inputs from agencies