IDF spokesperson in Arabic, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, published a post on his X account on Saturday targeting Samar Abu Zamar, the wife of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The tweet claimed she was seen alongside her husband a day before the October 7 massacre carrying a Birkin bag from Hermes worth thousands of dollars.
"Did Sinwar's wife enter the tunnel with him on October 6 carrying a bag estimated to cost around $32,000?! I'll leave the answer to you," Adraee wrote in the caption of a picture showing Abu Zamar holding the bag inside the tunnel where she and her husband took refuge the night before the massacre, alongside an image of the luxury bag from the company's website.
"While the residents of Gaza lack enough money for tents or basic supplies, we see many examples of Yahya Sinwar and his wife's unique love for money,” he added.
To purchase the bag named after actress Jane Birkin, one must contact Hermes, which sells the coveted bags, in order to join a long waiting list.
IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari revealed on Saturday footage of Sinwar and his family entering a Gaza tunnel before the start of the October 7 attack. “On the night before the massacre, Sinwar was focused on his own survival and that of his family. In the video, you can see him and his family slipping into an underground bunker beneath their home on October 6, just hours before the attack,” he said.
“For hours, Sinwar and his son are seen moving supplies – food, a flat-screen television, mattresses –keeping the operation secret to minimize exposure,” Hagari added.
Abu Zamar was born in Gaza in 1980 and holds a master's degree in religious studies from the Islamic University in the city, where she also worked as a lecturer until her marriage.
Sinwar and his family in a Gaza tunnel on October 6, 2023
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Sinwar's wife belongs to a well-known and respected tribe among the Palestinians. Her family, the Abu Zamar family, is a religious family known for supporting "popular resistance" (the Palestinian term for terrorist organizations) and actions against Israel.
The family's roots are deeply embedded in the struggle against Israel. According to estimates, all of her family members have been recruited to Hamas, some of them to the terror group’s elite Nukhba unit.
Abu Zamar and Sinwar got married on November 21, 2011, less than a month after he was released from Israeli prison as part of the deal to free kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011. Samar was 31 at the time of their wedding, an age considered quite old for marriage among women in Gaza, where the average marriage age for women is 20.
Sinwar was 49 at the time, but the 18-year age gap didn’t seem to bother his intended. She understood it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to marry a significant and influential man in Gaza.
Sinwar himself mentioned in a previous interview that he wasn't really involved in choosing his wife. "While I was in the Holy Land (Saudi Arabia) performing the Hajj, my four sisters managed to find me a bride,” he said.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: