Latest news with #Sinwar
NZ Herald
20 hours ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
War has been waged at great cost to Palestinian civilians, and to Israel's standing in the world
That's happened without a breakthrough either in the negotiations with Hamas or on the battlefield. Hamas has refused to surrender, continuing to inflict deadly attacks on Israeli soldiers. 'I have to use these words: total failure,' said Michael Milstein, an Israeli analyst and former military intelligence officer. 'We are no closer to achieving our main war goal — to erase the military and the governmental capacities of Hamas — and Hamas has not become more flexible. We find ourselves right now in a total disaster.' One American Israeli hostage has been returned alive since the war resumed, but only through a side deal between Hamas and the United States. Hamas remains in control of key urban areas in Gaza and has not compromised on its core demands. Sinwar was replaced by another hardliner, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who has maintained Hamas' position, just as Sinwar had maintained the stance of his own predecessors. Israel's blockade on food from March until May led to a rise in hunger across the territory. Since ending some restrictions in late May, Israel largely reconstituted the way that food is distributed. In doing so, Israel made it more dangerous for Palestinians to get that food. Hundreds have been shot and killed by Israeli soldiers along the routes to new distribution sites. The outcome has resulted in a rare level of censure from Israel's allies. Key partners such as Britain and Germany called for the war to end. France said it would recognise a Palestinian state. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, called the situation 'a moral crisis that challenges the global conscience'. Before Israel started the blockade and broke the truce, Palestinians in Gaza were already suffering some of the worst conditions in a century of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. A vast majority of the population was displaced, and most of the buildings in the territory were damaged, according to the United Nations. Then the resumption of war felt as if someone had 'shut off the last source of life', said Karam Rabah, a civil servant in central Gaza. 'We thought we'd survived the worst, then it got even worse.' The truce from January to March had brought some respite, said Rabah, who is paid by the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, a rival of Hamas. 'Children went back to some kind of learning; families returned to their homes,' he said. Then the fighting restarted, and 'homes that had survived were suddenly gone, and even food became scarce', he added. 'I never thought that I would fight for a kilogram of flour for my kids.' As Palestinians suffer on one side of the border, Israelis on the other side are questioning what has been achieved through the return to war. As in earlier phases of the conflict, the war's protraction has allowed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to keep his ruling coalition intact, extending his tenure. A New York Times investigation has found that Netanyahu has dragged out the war partly for political reasons, in order to avoid upsetting key far-right partners who threatened their resignation if the war ended. Netanyahu denies the accusation, saying he has continued the war in the Israeli national interest. But his critics say the war's extension is at odds with the interests of Israeli hostages. It brings added risk to Israeli soldiers, who are still regularly killed in Gaza in service of a strategy that to many feels fruitless. It is a strain on reservist soldiers, who are repeatedly called up from their day jobs. And it has heightened the risk to Israelis travelling overseas, who increasingly report hostility from the people they meet, in addition to the criticism levelled at Israel from foreign governments and officials. 'There's a diplomatic tsunami against Israel like nothing anyone has ever seen,' said Shira Efron, a Tel Aviv-based analyst for Israel Policy Forum, a research group in New York. During a recent work trip to Washington, Efron said, she detected an unusual level of frustration in meetings with officials and analysts usually supportive of Israel. 'It was very clear from American politicians on both sides of the aisle — even Republican politicians and affiliated national security experts — that there is complete disapproval of the images coming from Gaza,' she said. 'Even those who think Hamas was at fault for the situation thought that Israel needs to change its position. Whether you're Republican or Democrat you don't want to see children starve.' Even Israelis who broadly support the Government's return to war say that the approach has not achieved its goal. Their solution, however, is different: In their view, Israel should have attacked far harder than it did in the past months and must do so now. For months, the Israeli military has largely stayed away from the most densely populated areas of Gaza, where the remaining Israeli hostages are believed to be held. Right-wing Israelis say that Israel should invade and occupy those areas, even if it endangers the hostages. 'We need to stop everything, occupy the strip from end to end,' Moshe Saada, a lawmaker from Netanyahu's party, said in a television interview yesterday. Others say that Israel was right to break the truce in March, but wrong to do so without a clearly communicated plan for how Gaza would be governed in the future. 'Israel needs to fight until Hamas is defeated,' said Jonathan Conricus, a former Israeli military spokesperson. It is failing to do so, Conricus said, because of 'an incoherent Israeli strategy, tremendous international and regional pressure against Israel, and Hamas' willingness to leverage the suffering of the civilian population for its own cynical benefit'. Israel needs to 'strategically regroup, formulate a plan to defeat Hamas and provide a regionally and internationally acceptable solution for the future of the Gaza Strip', said Conricus, an analyst for the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, a research group in Washington. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Written by: Patrick Kingsley Photographs by: Saher Alghorra ©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES
NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Hamas Chief's Widow Fled Gaza With Fake Passport, Remarried In Turkey: Report
Former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's widow escaped Gaza and has since remarried in Turkey, according to a report by Israeli news outlet Ynet. Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar, who married Sinwar in 2011 and holds a master's degree in theology from the Islamic University of Gaza, was reportedly smuggled out of the Strip along with her children using a forged passport. "She's not here anymore; she's in Turkey with the children," a Gazan source told Ynet. The escape, according to the source, required "logistical support, cooperation at a high level, and a lot of cash that the average Gaza resident doesn't have." She allegedly used the passport of another Gazan woman and left Gaza through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt. She remarried after Yahya Sinwar's death in October last year. The report claims that the remarriage in Turkey was arranged by Fathi Hammad, a senior official in Hamas' political bureau. Hammad has previously been linked to efforts to move Hamas operatives and their families out of the conflict zone. According to Ynet, Hamas had established a system to extract senior members' families during the early months of Israel's war on Gaza, relying on fake documents, fictitious medical records, etc. Najwa, the widow of Yahya Sinwar's brother Mohammed, who briefly took over leadership of the group after Sinwar's death, is also believed to have left Gaza through the same network. She has not been seen since, the report added. An Israeli security source confirmed that both women exited Gaza via Rafah before their husbands were killed. Israeli troops killed Yahya Sinwar on October 16, 2024, during a routine patrol in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan neighbourhood. A drone located him inside a damaged building, injured. In publicly released footage, Sinwar appeared dust-covered and seated in an armchair, throwing a stick at the drone before Israeli fire struck the building. He died from a gunshot to the head and other injuries caused by debris. Israel's war on Gaza has entered its 21st month, and over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. UN agencies and health groups warn Gaza faces famine-like conditions. Since March 2, Israel's blockade has severely limited entry of food, medicine, water, and fuel, accelerating hunger and malnutrition across the Strip. At least 111 people, including infants, have died from hunger in recent weeks; nearly 100,000 women and children suffer severe acute malnutrition. Over 1,060 people have died and over 7,200 injured while attempting to access food in the past two months alone, largely near aid distribution centres. A UN-backed IPC report warns that nearly all of Gaza's 2.1 million residents face acute food insecurity, with around 470,000 enduring catastrophic hunger of the highest level (Phase 5), effectively meaning starvation. Among the worst affected are 71,000 children under the age of five and 17,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women needing urgent care. The WHO says three-quarters of the population suffers extreme food deprivation, while lifesaving aid remains blocked minutes from those starving.
India.com
5 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Former Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar's widow flees from Gaza, reaches Turkey with fake passport, gets married, took along..., her husband is...
New Delhi: There is big news about the wife of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza last year. Sinwar's wife Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar fled Gaza using a fake passport. She also took her children with her. Where did Yahya Sinwar's wife flee? According to the report of Hebrew Media Net, Samar Muhammad is currently in Turkey and got married there. This marriage took place a few months after Sinwar's death. It is being said that a senior Hamas official had made full preparations for her escape from Gaza. Hamas is constantly engaged in taking its leaders and their families out of Gaza. Who arranged the marriage? Senior Hamas official Fathi Hamad had arranged Samar Muhammad's marriage in Turkey. Hamad is being described as a smuggler, who is constantly taking Hamas members and their families out of Gaza. He is taking out people associated with Hamas from Gaza with the help of fake passports, fake medical records and embassies of other countries. When did Yahya Sinwar's wife flee? According to the report, before Sinwar's death on 16 October 2024, his wife Samar had left Gaza. She entered Egypt through the Rafah border and from there went to Turkey through a fake passport. Let us tell you that Samar Muhammad married Yahya Sinwar in 2011. She is 18 years younger than Sinwar and has three children from Sinwar. Who was Yahya Sinwar? Yahya Sinwar was a prominent Hamas leader, who is considered the mastermind of the attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. He was the leader of Hamas in Gaza since 2017 and was the chairman of Hamas's Political Bureau since August 2024. He was killed in an Israeli attack on 16 October last year. Earlier on 6th August 2023, the IDF had also released a video in which Yahya Sinwar was seen running with Samar Muhammad and his children in a tunnel in Khan Younis in which Samar Muhammad was seen carrying an expensive Hermes Birkin handbag in her hand.
International Business Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- International Business Times
Who is Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar? Former Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar's Widow escapes from Gaza, Remarries in Turkey
July 25, 2025 15:40 +08 Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar, the widow of former Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, is believed to have fled Gaza in the early days of the exchange, the Israeli news outlet Ynet reported. She fled along with her three children and a large sum of money, using bogus passports. X She reportedly crossed over to the border of Rafah after paying thousands of dollars, then moved to Turkey and got married again. Her new marriage, also organized by Fathi Hammad, remains a closely guarded secret. Details about her new husband have not been revealed. Ynet reports that her escape involved "high-level coordination" and financial resources, which are beyond the reach of ordinary Gaza citizens. Most of the planning for her departure was done by Mohammed Hammad, a Hamas operative who helps in the movement of its members and their families. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in late 2023 published a clip according to which Yahya Sinwar, himself, his family, and others fled into an underground passageway in Khan Younis just before Hamas attacked on October 7 and killed a number of Israeli citizens. x Through marriage, Sinwar, in 2011, married Abu Zamar. She was said to be 18 years younger than he. Together, they had three children. Sinwar was one of the most powerful and controversial Hamas leaders, known for his role in military operations. Before rising in the Hamas leadership cadre, he had spent 20 years in Israeli jail. He was the key strategist in the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict and was killed by the IDF in a drone strike in October 2024. Israel also said on Thursday that it had withdrawn its negotiators from ceasefire discussions with Hamas in Qatar. Mediators had been trying to arrange a truce for more than two weeks to no avail.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Widow of slain Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar smuggled out of Gaza with loads of cash, remarried in Turkey
Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar , the widow of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar—believed to be the mastermind of the October 7 terror attacks—was reportedly smuggled out of Gaza with her children and a significant amount of money, according to Israeli media outlet Ynet . The report claims that Abu Zamar used fake passports to flee Gaza during the early days of the Israel-Hamas war and relocated to Turkey , where she has since remarried. Her escape was allegedly orchestrated by senior Hamas operative Fathi Hammad, known for facilitating the movement of militants and their families. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science MBA Technology Leadership Project Management Finance Public Policy Digital Marketing Data Analytics Degree Healthcare Data Science Artificial Intelligence MCA healthcare Management others Cybersecurity Design Thinking Product Management Others Operations Management CXO PGDM Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Interpretation Programming Proficiency Problem-Solving Skills Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT MSc in Data Science Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Strategic Data-Analysis, including Data Mining & Preparation Predictive Modeling & Advanced Clustering Techniques Machine Learning Concepts & Regression Analysis Cutting-edge applications of AI, like NLP & Generative AI Duration: 8 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Abu Zamar is said to have exited Gaza via the Rafah border crossing. One source cited by Ynet described the escape as involving 'high-level coordination, logistical support, and large sums of money that regular Gazans don't have access to.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Do you have a mouse? Desert Order Undo Her remarriage, also reportedly arranged by Hammad, remains shrouded in secrecy, with no details released about her new husband. Last year, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released footage showing Sinwar and his family fleeing into a tunnel beneath their home in Khan Younis, just hours before Hamas launched its deadly assault on Israel. An IDF spokesperson also posted an image on social media showing a woman believed to be Abu Zamar holding what appeared to be a Hermès Birkin bag, estimated to cost around $32,000, asking: 'Did Sinwar's wife enter the tunnel with him on October 6 carrying a Birkin bag?!' Live Events — Israel (@Israel) 'While Gaza residents struggle to afford basic necessities, we continue to see evidence of Sinwar and his wife's obsession with wealth,' the IDF stated, although the authenticity of the luxury bag remains unconfirmed. Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces in Rafah in late October. He had married Abu Zamar in 2011; she was reportedly 18 years his junior. The couple had three children. Meanwhile, Israel said on Thursday it had recalled its negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks with Hamas, as international pressure mounted for a breakthrough to end nearly two years of devastating war. Mediators have been shuttling between Israeli and Hamas delegations in Qatar for more than two weeks, but the indirect talks have so far failed to yield an elusive truce. International concern is growing over the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where the fighting has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings that "mass starvation" was spreading.
