IDF releases shocking footage of Yahya Sinwar's secret tunnel network

Operating from the shadows, he assumed leadership of Hamas following the killing of its previous leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran in July.

Now, new footage released by the IDF has given an insight into Sinwar’s underground lair, where he is understood to have hidden whilst ordering Hamas militants to carry out the October 7 massacre.

The hideout, which was discovered by Israeli soldiers in the Tel al-Sultan area, was well-resourced, with plenty of food and water to help him survive underground for months.

As shown in two photos released by the IDF, inside the lair is a television which allowed Sinwar to safely watch Hamas’ exploits above ground.

Other items to make Sinwar’s stay more bearable included a fan, reading books, chairs, a printer, blankets, and a clock.

Alongside the two pictures, a three-minute video was released of Sinwar walking through his tunnel system whilst carrying supplies.

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In the clip, he is followed by young children who appear to help him transport water, food and supplies.

The mundane footage was shot just hours before the Hamas massacre - which saw 1,200 people killed and 250 taken hostage.

It was released following the announcement that Sinwar had died - killed by a single gunshot to his head.

Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed Sinwar's death on Thursday, with the country's Foreign Minister Israel Katz saying: “Mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who was responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers.”

He was thought to have been in a building in the Gaza Strip where “three terrorists were eliminated”, the IDF said.

In drone footage just moments before his death, Sinwar was seen masked and mortally wounded in a shell-smashed apartment trying to hurl a stick at the drone.

A statement on Thursday afternoon from the military's official social media account read: “During IDF operations in Gaza, three terrorists were eliminated.

“The IDF and ISA [Israel Security Agency] are checking the possibility that one of the terrorists was Yahya Sinwar.

“At this stage, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed. In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of the presence of hostages in the area.

“The forces that are operating in the area are continuing to operate with the required caution.”