The final moments of martyr Yahya Sinwar, battling the Israeli occupation forces, have become an emblem widely shared on social media, symbolising that the oppressor's plan has backfired. The Israeli forces likely believed that by airing the footage, they would portray a grim fate for Sinwar. Yet, the world saw a different image: Sinwar, seated on a sofa draped in a Palestinian keffiyeh, right hand wounded, left hand wielding a stick that he threw at an Israeli drone filming him. Anyone who witnessed this footage could see that Sinwar did not fear death but faced it with immense courage. He died fighting on the battlefield, dispelling Israeli claims that he was hiding in tunnels or seeking refuge with prisoners. In reality, he met his end alone, fulfilling his lifelong wish of martyrdom — a moment so powerful it could be mistaken for fiction if depicted in a film. Sinwar’s final act conveyed a clear message: Palestinian resistance will continue, and his death does not mark the end but serves as inspiration for fighters everywhere, especially Palestinians.
How did Sinwar reach this level of resolve? It was his deep faith in Allah, the righteousness of his cause, and his belief that Palestine could only be regained through sacrifice. Leaders, in his view, must lead by example, a conviction that transcended any fear of death. His final moments, witnessed by the world, were a testament to his unwavering faith and his understanding of what awaited him in the afterlife, in line with the words of Allah Almighty: “Do you await for us except one of the two best things while we await for you that Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands? So wait; indeed we, along with you, are waiting.” (Quran 9:52). Either victory in this life or martyrdom in the next, a revered station with Allah.
Reflecting on the struggles of fighters, I often return to Sayyid Qutb’s interpretation of Surat Al Buruj in Zilal Al Quran. There, he describes believers who were punished for their faith by being burned alive. Yet, their sacrifice transcended their earthly lives. Sayyid Qutb writes that these believers could have saved themselves by renouncing their faith, but what would they have lost? Life without faith is hollow, devoid of freedom and dignity. They won, even as the flames consumed them, as the meaning of their sacrifice endured.
This powerful message addresses those who blame Yahya Sinwar for the events that followed October 7, 2023, as if victory could be achieved through negotiations or surrender. His unwavering commitment to his cause, his pursuit of martyrdom, and his refusal to depend on others in his fight against the brutal Zionist enemy were a source of discomfort for many. The schadenfreude over his martyrdom from those detached from their faith and homeland was to be expected. We saw similar reactions to the martyrdom of figures like Ismail Haniyeh and Hassan Nasrallah. Yet the global response to Sinwar’s death, with artists worldwide commemorating him in paintings and drawings, drowned out the naysayers and celebrated his courage, strength, and steadfastness in his final moments.
Sinwar’s final act added to the symbolism of the Palestinian keffiyeh and inspired a new phrase for the resistance. “I threw him with Sinwar’s stick” means, “I gave my all after exhausting every option.” His final moments offered a lesson more powerful than any book, article, poem, or film could convey.
Translated by Badr al Dhafari
The original version of this article was published in the Oman Arabic newspaper on October 28.
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