Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar, the widow of former Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, is believed to have fled Gaza in the early days of the exchange, the Israeli news outlet Ynet reported. She fled along with her three children and a large sum of money, using bogus passports.
She reportedly crossed over to the border of Rafah after paying thousands of dollars, then moved to Turkey and got married again. Her new marriage, also organized by Fathi Hammad, remains a closely guarded secret. Details about her new husband have not been revealed.
Ynet reports that her escape involved “high-level coordination” and financial resources, which are beyond the reach of ordinary Gaza citizens. Most of the planning for her departure was done by Mohammed Hammad, a Hamas operative who helps in the movement of its members and their families.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in late 2023 published a clip according to which Yahya Sinwar, himself, his family, and others fled into an underground passageway in Khan Younis just before Hamas attacked on October 7 and killed a number of Israeli citizens. x
Through marriage, Sinwar, in 2011, married Abu Zamar. She was said to be 18 years younger than he. Together, they had three children. Sinwar was one of the most powerful and controversial Hamas leaders, known for his role in military operations. Before rising in the Hamas leadership cadre, he had spent 20 years in Israeli jail. He was the key strategist in the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict and was killed by the IDF in a drone strike in October 2024.
Israel also said on Thursday that it had withdrawn its negotiators from ceasefire discussions with Hamas in Qatar. Mediators had been trying to arrange a truce for more than two weeks to no avail.
