Hamas’s top leader, Yahya Sinwar, has managed to elude Israeli efforts to locate him thanks to a low-tech communications system developed during his time in prison, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The system, which relies heavily on handwritten notes and a network of couriers, has allowed Sinwar to direct Hamas operations while hiding underground in Gaza. This has frustrated Israeli attempts to track and target the Oct. 7 mastermind.
Arab ceasefire mediators have provided insight into Sinwar’s communication methods. A typical message from the Hamas leader is handwritten and passed through a chain of trusted couriers, some of whom may be civilians. The messages often use complex codes that vary depending on the recipient, circumstances and timing.
According to the WSJ, the Israeli military declined to comment on the matter, while Hamas did not respond to questions about Sinwar’s communication methods. Sinwar’s approach to evading detection has become increasingly sophisticated following Israeli strikes that killed other high-ranking Hamas and Hezbollah officials. The assassination in Beirut of Hamas deputy political leader Saleh al-Arouri in January prompted Sinwar to further tighten his security measures, according to the report.
The rudimentary communication system has its roots in Hamas’s early years and was refined during Sinwar’s time in Israeli prisons. As the founder of Hamas’s internal security police, Sinwar developed methods for distributing encoded messages within prisons, including wrapping letters in bread balls that could be tossed between cells and wards.
Israel estimates that Sinwar spent years planning for a major conflict, including the construction of an extensive tunnel network and the establishment of a communication system designed to circumvent modern intelligence-gathering techniques.
The effectiveness of Sinwar’s methods has made it difficult for Israeli forces to confirm his location. His role has become increasingly crucial following the assassination, reportedly by Israel, of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.
Sinwar’s cautious approach has at times slowed ceasefire negotiations, according to the WSJ.
However, despite the challenges posed by his communication methods, Sinwar has managed to relay messages quickly when necessary. For example, he sent a condolence letter to Haniyeh within hours of an Israeli airstrike that killed three of the latter’s sons in April.
The Hamas leader’s ability to evade detection highlights the limitations of even the most sophisticated intelligence-gathering techniques when faced with determined low-tech counter-measures. As Thomas Withington, an expert on electronic warfare and an associate research fellow at London’s Royal United Services Institute think tank, noted, “That split second where you forget discipline, that can sign your death warrant.”
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
