Yahya Sinwar Speaks: A Legacy That Won’t Fade

Today, people around the world, especially in the Gaza Strip, are remembering Yahya Sinwar’s final moments, as he defiantly fought against Israel until he was killed in Rafah on 16 October.

To Palestinians, Sinwar belongs to a long list of Palestinian resistance heroes who lived and died fighting Israeli colonialism and occupation, seeking liberation and self-determination.

Israeli officials say Sinwar was one of the masterminds behind Hamas’s resistance operation on October 7.

To mark his death, here are some of the statements he made that continue to resonate in the minds of Palestinians:

• “All are chanting in soul and blood to defend Al-Aqsa. Men and women, religious and non-religious, chanted, ‘Put the sword before the sword, we are all the men of Mohammed Deif [late commander of Hamas’s military wing].'”
• “Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem are a red line.”
• “If you want more time to stay, then stay away from Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem. The decision to eliminate your state depends on whether you intend to implement your plans for Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem.”
• “One of the reporters from an American network asked me: ‘What is your message to President Biden?’ I replied with one sentence: compel the occupation to adhere to international law and international resolutions. If the occupation complies, there is a possibility for a long-term truce – whether it is four years, five years or more.”
• “I would rather die a martyr than die from the coronavirus, or from a heart attack, or a stroke, or in a car accident.”
• “For long periods, we tried peaceful and popular resistance. We expected that the world, free people and international organisations would stand by our people and stop occupation from committing crimes and massacring our people. Unfortunately, the world stood by and watched.”
• “Does the world expect us to be well-behaved victims while we are being killed, for us to be slaughtered without making a noise?”