Sinwar is dead, but Hamas finally got its victory
Yahya Sinwar, a ruthless terrorist and the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023, terror attack, may be dead, but his demise has delivered Hamas an unexpected victory on the Arab and Islamic streets. Known widely as the “Butcher of Khan Younis,” Sinwar earned his reputation not only for his violent campaigns against Israelis but for his brutal oppression of his people in Gaza. Sinwar’s rule imposed a new level of fear and submission on Gaza’s residents, exploiting civilians as pawns in his terror-driven agenda—with a chilling disregard for innocent lives.
In his final moments, captured on video, Sinwar appeared wounded as he emerged from a destroyed house with nothing but a stick, which he threw at the drone filming him. Remarkably, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), unaware it was him, only identified Sinwar post-mortem. Hamas and its supporters have quickly weaponized this moment for propaganda, portraying Sinwar as a lone fighter standing against the might of a modern war machine. This “cinematic” portrayal has transformed Sinwar’s image, painting him not as the ruthless terrorist he was but as a figure who “died fighting” against overwhelming odds, an image that has resonated particularly with young Arabs, who view it as proof of Hamas’s resilience. This portrayal has sparked sympathy and support, helping to rebrand Hamas’s blood-stained leader as a martyr, and igniting a wave of admiration that extends far beyond Gaza.
The “victory” Hamas needed
Sinwar’s death has provided Hamas with the opportunity to reframe a moment of weakness as a symbolic victory. Despite the devastation of its infrastructure and significant military losses, Hamas has seized upon Sinwar’s final moments to spark renewed defiance among supporters. For Israel, this image underscores a different message; Sinwar’s death at the hands of Israel’s advanced military power reaffirms its ability to deter threats and strike at the heart of Hamas’s leadership. The contrast between Israel’s state-of-the-art weaponry and Sinwar’s desperate last stand highlights Israel’s military superiority. Yet this narrative has largely been lost to the Arab and Islamic streets.
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Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood have amplified this rebranded image of Sinwar through coordinated propaganda campaigns designed to silence any voices that dare to call him what he truly was—a ruthless terrorist. Separately, there was a backlash against the Saudi-owned television channel MBC, which faced severe criticism and even office attacks and demonstrations by pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq after airing a report that described Hamas as “terrorists” and Sinwar as the “new face of terrorism.” Through these intimidation tactics and defamation, Islamist groups brand anyone critical of Sinwar or Hamas as sympathizing with Israel and its extremist factions. The campaign to cleanse Sinwar’s image has not only resonated with Islamist factions but has also found support among nationalists and left-wing groups. In Egypt, professional syndicates, opposition politicians, and activists lamented the death of the “martyr” Sinwar, with some even bestowing him the title of “resistance leader.” Even al-Azhar, the world’s most prominent Sunni religious institution, issued a statement mourning his death, lending credibility to this narrative of Sinwar as a symbol of defiance.
This widespread reaction stands in stark contrast to the far more muted response to the death of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political chief who was killed by Israel while visiting Iran. While Haniyeh’s death sparked limited reaction, the viral footage of Sinwar’s final moments has struck a chord, allowing his supporters to embrace an identity that bears little resemblance to the man’s brutal reality.
The rise of a new support base
For Hamas, Sinwar’s death has drawn in a new wave of supporters, particularly among young Arabs. Most of this youth base, which lacks historical context, is shaped by social media, where emotionally charged videos of Gaza’s suffering dominate. Platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) have turned the conflict into a stream of images showing despair, devastation, and defiance, with Sinwar’s final moments framed as the ultimate act of resistance. This has prompted children and even adults in Gaza and other parts of the region to dress up as Sinwar during his last moments, as they view him as a hero.
But it’s not just sympathy for Hamas or Islamists that has intensified; it’s also a growing hatred and mistrust of Israel. The brutal course of the conflict and its harsh tactics have undermined Israel’s narrative that the war targets only Hamas. Israel’s portrayal of Sinwar as a “tunnel rat” hiding behind hostages has lost credibility for many who now see Israeli aggression as a threat to all Palestinians. For Islamists, this young support base is a golden opportunity for recruitment and ideological influence across the region, allowing them to brand radicalism as resistance.
The rebranding of Sinwar’s death as “heroic martyrdom,” combined with the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, has paved the way for Hamas to evolve into an even more extreme and dangerous entity. This wave of support, fueled by Islamist propaganda, does more than boost Hamas’s morale—it provides ideological momentum. A radicalized Islamist ideology labeled as “liberation and resistance” is emerging. It now attracts not only religiously inclined youth but also leftist, nationalist, and pan-Arabist sympathizers. This movement is deeply rooted in antisemitic rhetoric, increasingly ruthless in its tactics, and emboldened to carry out terrorist activities under the guise of resistance. These acts are no longer confined to Palestine or Israel, as shown by recent vehicle ramming attacks in north Tel Aviv, but are expected to spread globally, often carried out by lone wolves rather than organized terrorist groups.
Implications for regional stability
The ideological shift following Sinwar’s death extends beyond Gaza and presents a threat to broader regional stability. Islamist factions are capitalizing on the sympathy for Hamas to reposition themselves across the Arab world, appealing to a public frustrated with stagnant peace efforts. This expanding support base allows Islamist movements to influence regional politics and exploit public grievances, turning legitimate frustrations into fuel for extremism.
In Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies were defeated after a decade-long struggle, these groups now view this wave of radical sentiment as a chance to reestablish themselves as the voice of resistance. Such sentiment is also found in Jordan, where Islamists used the Gaza war to win parliamentary seats in September. By channeling public outrage against Israel and its allies, they have an opening to erode trust in the current leadership and destabilize any peace efforts. If left unchecked, this influence not only threatens regional stability but risks entrenching extremism as a dominant force.
Israelis and Americans must recognize this imminent threat and work urgently with Egypt and other moderate Arab countries to achieve a ceasefire and prepare for a day-after scenario that prioritizes stability and deradicalization. Empowering moderate voices on both sides is crucial. On the Israeli side, this means countering the extremist influence of a far-right, messianic government and putting an end to settler violence. For Palestinians, it involves dismantling the dangerous ideology of Islamism that Hamas exploits. Without decisive action, this conflict will remain another episode in a relentless cycle of existential violence driven by hatred and fanaticism.
This article was written by a senior Arab official who was granted anonymity due to safety concerns.
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Image: Houthi supporter sits on a chair similar to the one Yahya Sinwar sat in when he was killed. during an anti-USA and anti-Israel protest in Sanaa, Yemen, 15 November 2024.IMAGO/ Sanaa Yemen via Reuters