Israel says it has surrounded the house of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Should he be arrested or eliminated, it would have a great symbolic value for the Israelis, says lieutenant colonel Anders Ekholm.
– Not sure anyone else will step forward, he says.
Israel has singled out Yahya Sinwar as the leader of Hamas in Gaza. He is also said to be the mastermind behind the attack on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed, and which was the starting point for the military conflict that has been ongoing ever since.
Sinwar was previously in Israeli prison for over two decades, but was released in a prisoner exchange in 2011. Over the years, he has become known for his brutality, earning him the nickname “The Butcher of Khan Yunis”.
– According to information or rumours, I don’t know if it is confirmed, he has made himself known for killing his own with a machete in cases where he has found them leaking information to the Israelis, says Lieutenant Colonel Anders Ekholm in Efter fem .
On Israel’s radar
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that military troops have surrounded the home of the Hamas leader. Anders Ekholm assesses the information as credible, but he does not believe that Yahya Sinwar would actually be there.
– I think he is well hidden somewhere. They have recently tried to eliminate him, so they are probably even more cautious now.
Symbol value
That Netanyahu announces that the noose is being tightened around Yahya Sinwar should rather be seen as a signal to both parties that the Israeli military has advanced far into southern Gaza and the city of Khan Yunis.
– You must be clear that just as Osama bin Laden was the arch-enemy for the Americans after September 11, you can probably regard this person in the same way for the Israelis. So there is a lot of pressure on the backs of the military, from the home front, that we should take this gentleman, says Anders Ekholm.
Should Israel succeed in eliminating Yahya Sinwar, it could have an impact on the development of the war, Ekholm believes. Among other things, because it is not certain that anyone else would take his position.
– Removing a leader who holds a lot in his own hand could have a certain impact. It is not certain that someone will immediately, automatically, step forward and take over this role.
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