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From tunnel to Turkey: How Hamas leader Sinwar's widow escaped and remarried — what report reveals

From tunnel to Turkey: How Hamas leader Sinwar's widow escaped and remarried — what report reveals

Time of India4 days ago
Former Hamas leader
Yahya Sinwar
's widow, Samar Abu Zamer, entered the Hamas tunnel with children, later went to Turkey with a fake passport, according to Ynet.
As conditions worsen under Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, reports indicate that families of high-ranking Hamas leaders have departed the territory, sparking local discontent.
Ynet suggest that prominent Hamas officials' families were evacuated from Gaza early in the conflict, utilising falsified documentation and external support networks. These unconfirmed accounts have generated resentment amongst besieged residents.
The Israeli military released evidence in January showing Samar Abu Zamer, Yahya Sinwar's widow, entering a Hamas tunnel with her children. Sources later informed Ynet that she had relocated to Turkey using false documentation.
"She's no longer here—she crossed through the Rafah border using a fake passport," one source revealed, citing sophisticated coordination unavailable to ordinary citizens.
Reports indicate Abu Zamer remarried again in Turkey following Sinwar's death, arranged by Hamas official Fathi Hammad. She previously faced criticism for carrying a luxury Hermès Birkin handbag whilst in tunnels.
Questions surround Najwa Sinwar, widow of Muhammad Sinwar, with sources suggesting she departed Gaza with her children before her husband's death.
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Israeli officials confirmed both women's exit via Rafah crossing.
A Gaza resident who survived recent attacks expressed frustration: "They send their children to study in Turkey and Qatar—and send ours to the grave."
Analysts note Hamas maintains established networks for evacuating leaders' families, using forged documents and diplomatic connections.
One notable exception is Umm Khaled, wife of Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who appeared in recent footage at home with her children, stating: "There are four mattresses and a mat in our house.
That's how it was before the war, and after. I'm not fleeing. I'm here with my people."
As humanitarian conditions deteriorate, residents increasingly scrutinise their leadership's commitment. "Did we carry the burden for the sake of resistance," questioned one local, "or just so Hamas leaders can live in five-star hotels in Doha and Istanbul?"
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