Yahya Sinwar outlines uncompromising stance on Gaza ceasefire talks to Egyptian mediators

New Hamas leader defines his position in written messages and voice notes following surprise appointment

Yahya Sinwar at a rally marking the 35th anniversary of the founding of Hamas in 2022. He has been appointed as the political leader of the group. AFP

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Hamas's new leader Yahya Sinwar has conveyed to Egyptian mediators an uncompromising stance on sticking points preventing a ceasefire deal in Gaza, sources told The National.

Mr Sinwar, the most-wanted militant in the Gaza Strip, was named on Tuesday as the new political leader of Hamas after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.

The choice looks set to have a significant long-term effect on the group itself, effectively merging the political and military wings into one. But more immediately, tougher and uncompromising talks to stop the war are now expected.

Mr Sinwar's whereabouts are unknown. He has remained in hiding for 10 months since Israel declared war on Hamas in Gaza, which has led to the killing of more than 39,700 Palestinians, the enclave's health authorities say.

Israeli officials believe Mr Sinwar, regarded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as the mastermind behind the October 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel, is thought to be hiding in the extensive network of underground tunnels built by Hamas.

The militant leader, 61, spent much of his adult life in Israeli jails before being released in a 2011 prisoner swap. He became Hamas’s leader in Gaza – its senior leadership resides abroad – in 2017. Israeli intelligence assessments from his time in prison describe Mr Sinwar as a “cruel, authoritative, influential” leader who had “unusual abilities of endurance” and an ability to “carry crowds”.

Sources close to the mediators of the ceasefire talks told The National that his appointment could impede already fraught negotiations because of his hardline position on continuing the war in Gaza.

Shortly after his appointment, Mr Sinwar made contact with Egyptian mediators to convey his firm message, with conditions including a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of high-profile Palestinian detainees as part of a ceasefire deal to end the war, the sources said.

He also informed the Egyptians he was “uncompromisingly” opposed to the Palestinian Authority taking control of Gaza after the war. The PA exercises partial control in some areas of the occupied West Bank but has been at odds with Hamas for years.

Mr Sinwar also made it clear he rejects the deployment of a multinational force in postwar Gaza to maintain security until legislative and presidential elections are held.

“To Yahya Sinwar, the release of Palestinian prisoners is very high on his priorities,” one source said.

“He wants to see Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Saadat freed, and will not compromise on that,” said the source. Mr Barghouti is the senior Fatah leader widely viewed as a possible successor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, while Mr Saadat is leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Both men are serving long-term sentences after convictions on security-related charges.

The Hamas leader's views have been delivered in written messages and voice notes since his surprise appointment. His messages to the Egyptian mediators were sent through Khalil Al Hayah, Mr Sinwar's close aide and confidant, who has also spoken for him during months of negotiations between Hamas and Israel through mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar.

Secure lines

Despite not being seen in public for months before the beginning of the war, Mr Sinwar has played a key role in the negotiations.

In November, Egyptian officials said he would stop taking calls for days during the talks that led to a week-long truce, due to security concerns. He routinely had aides schedule calls from Egyptian and Qatari mediators or Hamas leaders.

He used secure lines that he would change frequently and sophisticated jamming devices to avoid exposing his location to Israel. He often communicated with Hamas's field commanders through coded written messages.

Those messages are expected to intensify given his new role.

Months of negotiations have failed to produce a ceasefire to end the Gaza war and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained in Israeli jails.

“A ceasefire and a prisoner and hostage swap between Hamas and Israel now looks very unlikely. The negotiations may resume at some point but Hamas will take a hardline position and there may not be a ceasefire,” another source said. “He has the full support of Hamas and other Palestinian 'resistance' groups and that means Yahya Sinwar will be unwilling to make concessions.”

Mr Sinwar's ascent to power in Hamas came as the Gaza war continues to take a heavy toll.

Israel has already vowed to eliminate him, with a $400,000 bounty on his head.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army's Lt Gen Herzi Halevi said he would “find him, attack him” and force Hamas to find a replacement.

To Egypt, which shares a border with both Israel and Gaza and has for decades been deeply involved in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the appointment of Mr Sinwar has come at a time when its relations with Israel are deeply fraught after the latter's capture of the Palestinian side of Egypt's Rafah border crossing in May.

Egypt was angered further by Israel's capture of a strip of land that runs the length of its border with Gaza. The area is known as the Philadelphi Corridor.

The sources said that in the eyes of Cairo, Mr Sinwar is the perfect man for the top Hamas job. They said Iran played a key role in promoting Mr Sinwar to the rose, using Mr Al Hayah to implement its wish to see Mr Sinwar at the helm of the Iran-backed group.

Mr Al Hayah, together with Hamas's intelligence chief Zaher Jabareen and senior group official Hossam Badran, promoted Mr Sinwar in days of intense and secret talks with leaders from Hamas and allied groups, following Mr Hanyieh's death in Tehran, the sources said.

“Iran is happy to have him lead Hamas, so are the Palestinian factions allied with the group and, at least for now, Egypt, too,” one source said. “But it's highly unlikely now that the ceasefire negotiations will produce results.”