New Delhi:
The Israeli military has released footage of what it says is an underground bunker occupied by former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during the first half of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Sinwar, known as the mastermind behind the brutal October 7 attack, waged war with a stash of cash, cologne and personal comfort in a fully stocked bunker beneath the devastated city of Khan Yunis. It is said that he was preparing to survive.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared video footage detailing the inside of Shinwar’s underground hideout. The video shows a fully equipped bunker with modern showers, several bathrooms, and a fully functioning kitchen stocked with food bearing the United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) logo. has been done.
Mr. Sinwar, 61, had taken refuge in an underground bunker with his guards and aides as the war on the ground escalated. The footage shows bags of food supplied by UNRWA, confirming Israel’s long-standing accusation that Hamas is stealing from international organizations and exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The IDF released footage showing the invasion of a bunker in Shinwar, where UNWRA bags and millions of shekels were discovered.
Sinwar and other Hamas leaders are accused of siphoning billions of dollars from the people of Gaza with the involvement of @UNWRA.
pic.twitter.com/ZRcr5UWKmF
— David Saranga (@DavidSaranga) October 20, 2024
The bunker had multiple cologne bottles, hygiene products, and even a private shower. According to an Israeli Defense Force soldier who guided him through the bunker, Shinwar’s private room contained a large safe containing millions of Israeli shekels.
Soldiers found a locker filled with weapons, ammunition and explosives next to the bunker door.
Shinwar had fled the bunker before the IDF could capture him. Sinwar was reportedly initially staying in Khan Yunis, but was forced to flee further south to Rafah as Israeli forces closed in on his positions. It was with Rafa that Sinwar’s luck finally ran out. Israeli soldiers killed him last Thursday in what they described as a “routine operation.” The IDF initially believed they had encountered just another Hamas fighter, but later identified Sinwar as one of the victims.
According to Israeli sources, Shinwar spent much of the war hiding underground, directing Hamas operations and trying to evade capture. Shinwar’s wife, Abu Zamal, was reportedly carrying a Hermès Birkin bag worth 2.8 million rupees (approximately 3.2 million yen) while on the run.
After months of searching, Shinwar’s fate was sealed when an IDF patrol discovered him in Rafah. Sinwar was cornered and injured inside a demolished building, and his final moments were captured on drone footage. The video showed Sinwar, covered in dust and with one hand seriously injured, throwing what appeared to be a stick at an approaching Israeli drone.
An Israeli autopsy confirmed that Mr. Sinwar died from a gunshot wound to the head.
