“Small, Ugly, Broken”: Israel Soldier’s Time Alone With Yahya Sinwar’s Body

An Israeli soldier involved in the operation that killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, detailed the minutes he spent alone with Sinwar’s body after the mission. Lt Col Itamar Eitam recounted how he found Sinwar, lying in a dilapidated chair, describing him as “a small, ugly, and broken figure.” 

“I just left Rafah. Not long ago, I looked him – Sinwar  – in the eyes. I had a few minutes alone with him, and I looked at him – a small, ugly, and broken figure, lying on a shattered couch,” Lt Col Eitam wrote. 

“So much pain this man caused,” he wrote. “I looked at the ruined city, and I even felt pain for them, but more than anything, I felt insulted-insulted on behalf of God. Because he, too, was once a baby and a child, and he had a choice, and he chose evil. He chose wickedness. What an insult that he was also a person created in Your image. How distorted. How much better the world is now. We won’t be confused, and we won’t give up. Together we will win. Happy holiday,” he added. 

The killing of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, is a significant blow to Hamas. Israeli military officials confirmed that Sinwar was found and killed during a routine patrol in Rafah, southern Gaza, without prior intelligence of his whereabouts.

According to Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari, the patrol stumbled upon three militants, including Sinwar, as they moved through Rafah. Sinwar, after splitting from his group, took cover in a building, only to be tracked by drones. Video footage showed him attempting a final act of defiance, throwing a stick at the drone moments before Israeli forces neutralized him.

Forensic analysis confirmed Sinwar’s identity, with an autopsy revealing a gunshot wound to the head. No hostages were found near him. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Sinwar’s death the potential “beginning of the end” of the war. However, families of hostages remain concerned, urging Israel to secure their release before any further escalation.

In the aftermath, Hamas acknowledged Sinwar’s death but vowed to continue its resistance, with the militant group stating his killing would only strengthen their resolve.