Hamas leader Sinwar vows to continue fighting until ‘occupation is swept away’ in rare public statement

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Since Oct. 7, Yahya Sinwar, the chief architect of the Hamas invasion and terror attack in Israel – and the Palestinian terror group's newly installed top leader – has kept a low profile while IDF special forces have continued to chase him through the tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip.

On Friday, Lebanese media published a rare statement from Sinwar, who has stayed in intermittent contact with Hamas leadership outside of Gaza to communicate his decisions during hostage deal negotiations but has largely refrained from commenting on the war.

Sinwar declared that Hamas would continue to “stand firm” against Israel and remain loyal to the “blood of the martyrs.”

He added that the terror group would continue its resistance until the “expulsion of the occupation from our land and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

Sinwar’s statements are part of a telegram reportedly sent to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, thanking him for his support and expressing condolences for the death of Sinwar’s predecessor, former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Haniyeh was killed in what will be remembered as “one of the most honorable historical battles of our people,” Sinwar told Nasrallah, thanking him for his solidarity that was “expressed in blessed actions on the front lines of the resistance axis.”

After several months without any public statements from Sinwar, this marked the second message he sent in as many days. On Thursday, Hamas published a congratulatory message from Sinwar to the new Algerian president.

The only other public statement attributed to Sinwar came at the end of October when he offered to exchange all of the Israeli hostages for all of the Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

The only recording of Sinwar, who is reported to be constantly on the move within the extensive tunnel network beneath the Gaza Strip, was discovered by IDF soldiers in February.

Footage from a Hamas security camera found in a tunnel showed Sinwar fleeing with his children and one of his wives, led by his brother.

Recent Israeli intelligence reports indicated that he may have left the terror tunnels beneath Gaza and is now hiding among the Palestinian population “dressed as a woman.”