Israel's most wanted: Yahya Sinwar, Hamas's leader in Gaza

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00:00 He is one of Israel's most wanted, Yahya Sinwar, head of the Hamas militant group in Gaza,

00:06 whose threats against Israel two years ago came true.

00:10 Believed to be the mastermind behind the October 7th attacks, the man is no stranger to the

00:15 Israeli authorities.

00:17 Born in 1962 in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, Sinwar joined the Hamas group in the 80s and

00:23 climbed the ranks, while being arrested multiple times.

00:27 He was convicted in 1989 for murdering Israelis and Palestinians who had collaborated with

00:32 Tel Aviv.

00:33 While incarcerated, he was interrogated for hours on end by this intelligence officer.

00:38 He was very proud, he was very proud of this name.

00:42 He himself told me my name is the butcher from Khan Younis.

00:46 While in prison, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and treated by Israeli doctors.

00:53 The doctor explained to him that he had been cured of cancer.

00:57 I said to him, you see, Israel, the battle of your life, actually saved you.

01:02 And he said, OK, but that's your duty, I'm not going to be grateful.

01:08 After over 20 years behind bars, Yahya Sinwar was released from prison in 2011, along with

01:14 1,000 other Palestinian prisoners, as part of an exchange for Israeli hostage, Gelad

01:18 Shalitz.

01:20 Labeled by the US as a specially designated global terrorist in 2015, he became the leader

01:26 of Hamas in the strip two years later.

01:28 (splat)

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