The US believes that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is alive and likely hiding in a tunnel under Gaza, with hostages nearby, White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk said on Wednesday.
“Yahya Sinwar remains the decision maker. He remains — we believe — alive and in a tunnel underneath Gaza, holding hostages, and likely with hostages in his vicinity,” McGurk said during a call with American rabbis on the occasion of the High Holy Days.
McGurk reiterated the administration's belief that the war in Gaza could end immediately if Sinwar agreed to release the 101 hostages still being held by Hamas.
In late September, Kan 11 News reported that Israel is examining the possibility that Sinwar was killed as a result of an IDF air strike on the Gaza Strip.
According to the report, there is no intelligence supporting such a report, and there is a disagreement between defense officials about whether the October 7 mastermind was again just cut off from his communications or was indeed eliminated.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari was later asked about the report and said that he could not confirm or deny it, adding, "I do not have information that [Sinwar] is dead."
Earlier this week, Al Arabiya reported that Sinwar recently made contact with the leadership of Hamas in Qatar, after a long period of disconnection.