On October 19, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released footage showing Hamas’s late leader, Yehya Sinwar, and his family using underground tunnels to reach a hiding place on October 6, just hours before the border assault on Israel. The video captures Sinwar and his son transporting supplies like food and even a television, while Sinwar’s wife is seen carrying an expensive handbag, reportedly a Hermès Birkin, valued at $32,000.
According to Ynet News, which is part of the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, IDF spokesperson Richard Hegrie revealed details about Sinwar’s escape route prior to the attack last year. The footage shows the Sinwar family entering an underground bunker just hours before the assault. Over the course of several hours, Sinwar and his son were seen repeatedly hauling essential items, including food, a flat-screen TV, and mattresses.
Hegrie noted that Sinwar had constructed an underground facility in Khan Younis, from which he directed operations.
In February of this year, the IDF entered the hideout, discovering living areas, showers, beds, safes, uniforms, as well as televisions, food supplies, sofas, and communication equipment—essentially a fully equipped living space.
Hegrie mentioned that Sinwar predominantly moved between Khan Younis and Rafah, stating, “On several occasions, the IDF came very close to capturing him.”
In a tweet, LTC Nadav Shoshani shared the footage, stating, “Sinwar hours before the October 7 massacre: taking down his TV into his tunnel, hiding beneath his civilians, and preparing to watch his terrorists murder, kidnap, and rape.”
Additionally, Avichay Adraee, the IDF spokesman for Arabic media, posted screenshots from the video on social media on the evening of October 19. He pointed out that Sinwar’s wife was seen carrying the $32,000 Hermès Birkin bag, to which some online users sarcastically commented, “Sinwar’s wife’s bag is already from last year’s collection; it’s practically a war crime.”
Sinwar, who was estimated to be worth around $3 billion, was found with thousands of shekels on him when his body was discovered. The shekel is Israel’s currency and the legal tender in the Gaza region, with one shekel approximately equal to $0.27.
