Egypt reportedly offered to help Sinwar escape the Gaza Strip in exchange for letting Cairo negotiate a hostage deal with Israel – but was refused.
Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar was offered an opportunity by Egypt to escape the Gaza Strip, according to a new report, but declined the offer, insisting he remain in the coastal enclave amid the war with Israel.
On Sunday night, The Wall Street Journal reported that early on in the war after October 7th, Arab negotiators working to broker a deal between Hamas and Israel proposed that Sinwar be allowed to escape, in exchange for Cairo being empowered to negotiate on behalf of Hamas with Israel to secure a hostage deal and ceasefire.
Sinwar declined the offer, however, in part, according to the report, because of his hope that Hezbollah and Iran might be brought into a full-scale war with Israel.