“I prefer to die as a martyr,” Yahya Sinwar’s old video resurfaces after his assassination

Hamas’ political bureau chief Yahya Sinwar had previously stated that he would willingly embrace death while fighting his enemy, rather than succumb to a heart attack or any other illness.

The Israeli army killed Hamas' military chief on October 16 during a military operation in Rafah, with the IDF confirming his death on Thursday after DNA testing.

Following his assassination, Yahya Sinwar’s old media talk from 2021 resurfaced and was widely shared on social media, showing him fearlessly expressing his willingness to sacrifice his life in resistance against the occupation forces.

“The greatest gift the enemy and occupation can give me is to assassinate me. So I can go to Allah as a martyr by their hand,” he asserted.

“Today I am 59 years old and truthfully, I prefer to be killed by an F-16 or missiles than die from Covid, or from a stroke, heart attack, car accident, or any other thing people die from,” the slain Hamas chief added.

He said that at 60 years of age people already die from natural causes but “I prefer to die a martyr than die a meaningless death.”

Described as the mastermind of the October 7, 2023, attacks, Israeli authorities had been hunting him for a year since their military offensive began on Gaza, claiming that he was hiding in a tunnel surrounded by hostages and Hamas fighters.

However, the videos and pictures released by the IDF showing the final moments of the Hamas chief depict him wearing a military vest to fight the enemy, which political analysts said contradicts Israeli claims that he was hiding in a tunnel.

As of now, Hamas has not officially commented on Sinwar’s death.

Sinwar, born in the Khan Younis refugee camp, joined Hamas in 1987 and became one of Israel's most wanted figures.

After spending 22 years in Israeli prisons for planning alleged armed activities, he was released in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange deal.

Often described as the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks on Israeli military bases, Sinwar became the leader of Hamas following the death of former chief Ismail Haniyeh in July 2024.

He advocated for a unified Palestinian state encompassing Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.