Yahya Sinwar
Yahya SinwarAtiah Mahmoud-Flash 90/Reuters

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has escaped assassiantion over the last eleven months by relying on a low-tech communications network to avoid Israeli intelligence, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Monday.

According to the report, since Hamas carried out the October 7 massacre under his command, Sinwar has avoided making any phone calls, text messages, or any other form of electronic communication if at all possible so that his location could not be traced by Israel.

Instead, he has relied on a system of handwritten notes, codes, and couriers to communicate with his subordinates. A note may be handed from courier to courier until it reaches its intended recipient and contain codes. The system is similar to one developed during Sinwar's time in prison for terrorist activity.

It has even been used to send messages to Arab mediators who enter Gaza or to Hamas operatives abroad with orders. He has maintained his insistence on avoiding all electronic communication since to avoid a similar fate, even when this results in a slowdown in the ceasefire talks because of how long it takes for him to receive messages and send his responses.

Sinwar reportedly doubled down on this strategy following the assassination of Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, in Beirut in January, and has made only a handful of voice recordings for a small number of close aides.

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