Despite fear of Hamas reprisals among Gaza Strip residents, unusual criticism has emerged on social media in response to a video published by the IDF on Tuesday evening, showing the terrorist group's leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar fleeing with his children through an underground tunnel under the city of Khan Younis in the territory's south.
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"This rat, Yahya Sinwar, quickly ran to hide underground," wrote Mustafa Asfur, a resident of the Strip, on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Asfur has a significant number of followers on the platform, and the IDF Arabic spokesperson's account was quick to share his comments.
Sinwar scurrying underground
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
"He built tunnels to hide in for him, his children, his wife and those who surround them. He left the men, women and children of his people to struggle with death above ground, while he enjoyed himself with his family below.
"Didn't you say that one day you would go home on foot, without guards, and challenge the occupation to assassinate you? Where are you today? The occupation is at your doorstep - so go out and confront them, instead of dying while you're underground like a rat. Hell, you are a cowardly leader who sacrifices his country and his people for himself."
Another reaction to the video that generated much attention on X came from a Gaza resident named Ghassan. "My dear Sinwar, you and your family are hiding while the rest of the people are dying as usual. Oh right, I forgot that UNRWA is the one who is required to protect the people. Curse be upon the cleanest among you," he wrote, referring to an interview senior Hamas figure Musa Abu Marzouk gave to Russian network RT in Arabic in late October in which he said that the elaborate subterranean tunnel system the group constructed under Gaza was meant to protect its fighters - and not the residents of the Strip. "It is the responsibility of the UN to protect them," Abu Marzouk told the interviewer.
Wissam Al-Khalidi, a member of the Palestinian National Council, also expressed his dismay at the video. "This psychopath, called Sinwar, is hiding in the tunnels with his family while there are over 2 million innocent souls above the surface of the destroyed earth. Does this satisfy Allah, Sinwar?" he wrote.
Meanwhile, other users voiced their support for the fugitive Hamas terror chief. "Occupation officials repeat every day their desire to see Sinwar dead or arrested," explained Palestinian author Rafat Mura, an avid supporter of the Hamas government.
"This demonstrates the influence and results achieved by Sinwar and Mohammed Deif against the occupation. Israeli media is saturated with discussions about Sinwar's doctrine, his toughness, his personality, his insistence on defeating Israel and his goals vis-a-vis the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees."