"Tell me, doesn't he look like Sinwar?": The commanders return to the hunt for the mass murderer

Three commanders who served in Battalion 450 of the Bislamach Brigade reconstruct the chance encounter in Rafah two years ago, which began with the identification of a suspicious figure and ended with the elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The commanders describe the moments when they realized the identity of the terrorist who was killed, the footprints that led to the terrorist cell, and the sense of personal and operational closure.

Three commanders from Battalion 450 of the Bislamach Brigade reconstruct the chance encounter in Rafah two years ago, which began with the identification of a suspicious figure and ended with the elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. On October 16, 2024, the battalion's forces were engaged in defensive missions in Rafah. In the morning hours, a soldier and a deputy company commander spotted a suspicious figure moving between the buildings. The forces conducted searches but found nothing. At one point, the possibility of ending the incident was considered, but the commanders insisted on continuing. Later, footprints were found, which the soldiers nicknamed "Citroën" due to the shape of the sole. Major M. advanced along the tracks and identified three terrorists with blankets over them. During the exchange of fire, four grenades were thrown at the forces. Sinwar threw a grenade from the floor above, and a drone documented his final moments as he tried to hit it with a stick. Tanks fired at the building and eliminated him. The next day, when the battalion commander showed the commanders a photo of the body and asked, "Tell me, doesn't he look like Sinwar?", they realized the magnitude of the achievement. The commanders entered the building to identify the body up close. Later, two more terrorists from the cell were eliminated. For Major Y., who was a friend of a Nova massacre victim, this was a personal closure.