IDF missed Sinwar by mere days, national security adviser claims

The IDF has continued to pursue its main yet elusive target, Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, who is reportedly moving through different tunnels to evade the IDF.

 Yahya Sinwar (photo credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)
Yahya Sinwar
(photo credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi revealed on Saturday evening in an interview on Channel 12 that the IDF was very close to eliminating Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar

"This man is on borrowed time, and it requires patience. The Americans waited ten years for bin Laden, and I'm sure our moment will come and won't be that long," Hanegbi stated. 

"He escapes from tunnel to tunnel. We were close to him, some say even very close. We missed him by less than a few days. He will not get out of this confrontation alive; his fate is sealed." 

Previous reports about Sinwars whereabouts 

The Wall Street Journal had reported in the past that Sinwar believed that he had already won the war, even if he did not make it out alive.

Yahya Sinwar highlighted in a video published by the IDF on February 13, 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Yahya Sinwar highlighted in a video published by the IDF on February 13, 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

WSJ also stated that Sinwar believes that time is on his side and that the longer he waits, the greater the international pressure on Israel will be to end the Gaza war.