In a startling revelation, footage released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claims to show the Sinwar’s Wife the slain Hamas leader, carrying a Hermes Birkin bag worth approximately $32,000 (₹27 lakh).
The video captures the family escaping through an underground tunnel in Gaza, just hours before Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
This imagery has ignited intense discussions and criticisms regarding the lavish lifestyle of Sinwar’s family, while the majority of Gaza’s population struggles with poverty and hardship under Hamas rule.
The Context: Sinwar’s Leadership and the October 7 Attacks
Yahya Sinwar, who served as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, is accused by Israel of masterminding the deadly attacks on October 7, 2023, in which Hamas militants infiltrated Israeli territory and launched indiscriminate assaults. The attacks, which led to the deaths of numerous Israeli civilians and soldiers, reignited the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas, pushing the region into deeper turmoil.
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Sinwar, a prominent and controversial figure within Hamas, had a long history of involvement in militant activities. He was one of the founding members of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
For many years, he played a key role in directing the group’s operations, including rocket attacks and cross-border raids into Israel. In July 2024, Sinwar assumed the position of Hamas chief following the assassination of his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, in an Israeli operation in Tehran.
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As Sinwar’s influence grew, so did the scrutiny of his leadership, both from inside Gaza and internationally. His rise to power occurred amid increasing reports of corruption, including accusations that Hamas leaders were living in luxury while the people of Gaza suffered under poor living conditions. These accusations have now taken on renewed significance following the release of footage showing his wife with the luxury handbag.
The Birkin Bag Controversy
The Birkin bag carried by Sinwar’s wife in the footage has become a symbol of the stark contrast between the lifestyle of Hamas leaders and the daily hardships faced by the people of Gaza.
The Birkin bag, a product of the French luxury brand Hermes, is one of the most expensive and coveted fashion items in the world, with prices ranging from tens of thousands of dollars to even hundreds of thousands for certain models.
Attached is documentation of Sinwar and his family members fleeing to an underground complex located under their house, during the night of October 6, that is, a few hours before the brutal massacre.
— The Voice Of Truth 🙌 (@thevoicetruth1) October 19, 2024
Sinwar, his sons and his wife escape to the tunnel and supply it for long… pic.twitter.com/uiXIMeqidf
Introduced in 1984, the Birkin bag has come to represent wealth, status, and exclusivity. For many, the image of Sinwar’s wife clutching such an extravagant item, while escaping through tunnels built to evade Israeli airstrikes, is emblematic of the corruption and disconnect between Hamas leadership and the Palestinian people.
The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, pointed out this contradiction in a statement, claiming that while the residents of Gaza struggle to afford basic necessities like food, Hamas leaders and their families live in opulence. He suggested that this image of wealth is a direct insult to the people of Gaza, many of whom live in poverty, often relying on international aid for survival.
Gaza’s Suffering Under Hamas
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has been dire for many years. The blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt, combined with the devastating effects of periodic conflicts between Hamas and Israel, has led to widespread poverty, unemployment, and deteriorating infrastructure. Many Gazans live in overcrowded refugee camps with limited access to clean water, electricity, and healthcare.
Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, has been widely criticized for prioritizing its military efforts over the well-being of its people. International organizations have repeatedly condemned the group for diverting resources away from public services and instead using them to build tunnels and acquire weapons for attacks on Israel.
The international community, including many Arab countries, has also questioned Hamas’s governance, accusing the group of corruption and exploitation.
The video of Sinwar’s wife further adds to the perception that Hamas’s leadership lives a life of luxury, benefiting from its control over the enclave, while ordinary Gazans face economic and social despair.
The IDF’s Allegations
The footage released by the IDF is part of Israel’s ongoing efforts to expose what it calls the “hypocrisy” of Hamas leadership. Israel’s foreign ministry took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share the footage, captioning it with scathing remarks about Sinwar’s wife and the ostentatious display of wealth amidst the suffering of others.
“Sinwar’s wife caught in this photo sneaking to the tunnels the night before October 7th – get this – clutching a $32,000 Hermes Birkin bag! While Gazans endured hardship under Hamas, Sinwar and his family were shamelessly living in luxury, indulging while sending others to die,” the post read.
This statement from Israel has resonated widely, sparking discussions online about the broader issues of leadership and accountability within Hamas.
Lieutenant Colonel Adraee emphasized that while Hamas leaders and their families enjoy such luxuries, the people of Gaza continue to face daily challenges, including food insecurity and a lack of economic opportunities. The stark contrast between the affluent lifestyle of Hamas leaders and the conditions of ordinary Gazans has long been a point of contention and this latest revelation has only fueled these tensions.
Sinwar’s Family and Personal Life
Yahya Sinwar was married to Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar, who was 18 years younger than him. The couple had three children. Not much is known about Sinwar’s family life, as Hamas leaders have generally kept their private lives out of the public eye.
However, the release of the footage showing his wife has brought Sinwar’s family into the spotlight, with many now questioning the role of his wife in supporting his leadership and Hamas’s activities.
Sinwar, who would have turned 62 on October 29, 2024, was one of the most senior figures in Hamas until his death in an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. His death marked a significant blow to Hamas, as Sinwar was seen as a key strategist behind the group’s operations and its military confrontations with Israel.
Criticism from Within and Outside Gaza
While the footage of Sinwar’s wife has been met with outrage from Israel and its supporters, it has also drawn criticism from within Gaza itself.
Many residents, who have grown weary of the hardships imposed by both the Israeli blockade and Hamas’s authoritarian rule, see the Birkin bag controversy as yet another example of how the group’s leaders are disconnected from the reality of life in Gaza.
Human rights activists and local commentators have pointed out that while Gaza’s citizens face power outages, unemployment, and poor living conditions, Hamas leaders are often seen living in relative comfort.
Reports of Hamas officials enjoying expensive trips abroad or sending their children to study in prestigious universities outside Gaza have fueled resentment among ordinary Palestinians, who feel abandoned by their leadership.
Israel’s Continued Offensive Against Hamas
The release of this footage comes in the midst of ongoing Israeli operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Following the October 7 attacks, which left many Israelis dead, the Israeli government launched a full-scale military response, targeting Hamas infrastructure, leadership, and military assets.
Yahya Sinwar was killed during one of these operations in Rafah, along with several other high-ranking members of Hamas.
Israel’s government has vowed to dismantle Hamas’s leadership and has made clear that it sees the group as a significant threat to regional stability. The discovery of Sinwar’s family attempting to escape through underground tunnels highlights the continued use of these tunnels by Hamas to evade Israeli strikes and conduct military operations.
The sight of Yahya Sinwar’s wife carrying a $32,000 Hermes Birkin bag while escaping through a Gaza tunnel has sparked outrage, raising questions about the lifestyle of Hamas leaders compared to the suffering of the people they claim to represent. This revelation has further complicated the narrative surrounding the October 7 attacks and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
While Israel continues to expose what it views as the hypocrisy of Hamas leadership, the people of Gaza remain caught in the middle, enduring the hardships of war, poverty, and a lack of hope for the future. The Birkin bag, for many, is not just a symbol of wealth, but of the growing disconnect between those who lead and those who suffer under their rule.
let’s enjoy few years on earth with peace and happiness….✍🏼🙏