Yahya Sinwar and Family Spotted Fleeing into Gaza Tunnel Hours Before October 7 Attacks

Video released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday shows Yahya Sinwar, the 61-year-old chief of Hamas, and his family fleeing into a tunnel just hours before the October 7 massacre.

The footage, timestamped at 10:45 p.m. on October 6, 2023, captures Sinwar and his wife ushering their two young sons through a narrow bunker hallway.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in a drone strike Wednesday. REUTERS

In the video, the family appears to be preparing for a prolonged stay in the tunnel, with each member carrying a backpack and luggage.

Sinwar, the mastermind behind the attacks, reportedly made several trips through the tunnel to retrieve additional belongings, including water bottles and pillows. Their older son was seen assisting Sinwar by carrying blankets into the hideaway, which IDF images revealed to be equipped with a television, fans, beds, and a tiled floor.

The IDF released video of Sinwar ushering his family into an underground bunker hours before the Oct. 7 massacre. Israel Defense Forces/YouTube

The footage, discovered by IDF and Israel Security Agency (ISA) forces months prior, has come to light amidst the military’s hunt for Sinwar since the devastating attacks on southern Israel.

Sinwar’s wife carried a purse as she fled. Israel Defense Forces/YouTube

On Wednesday, IDF soldiers located Sinwar’s body while sifting through rubble in Tel al-Sultan following an airstrike.

Drone footage from the attack captured a man, later identified as Sinwar, sitting on a couch with a cloth covering his face and a wounded arm.

In a final effort to evade the drone, he was seen weakly tossing a piece of wood at it just before the building was destroyed.

In addition to his body, soldiers recovered 40,000 shekels (approximately $10,000) and an identification card for a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) teacher. Inside the destroyed building, they also found a cache of weapons.

Sinwar was killed in an Israeli tank strike. Israel Defense Forces/YouTube

Following Sinwar’s death, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that it would mark a turning point in the year-long Israel-Hamas conflict.

However, a senior Hamas official stated that the group would only grow stronger in response to this loss.