Israel has alleged that former Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar’s wife was seen in CCTV footage carrying a Hermes Birkin bag worth Rs 27 lakh, just hours before the October 7 attack. The footage also showed his wife, children and Yahya Sinwar — who was killed last week — carrying pillows, mattresses, television, and bags inside a tunnel.
Israel in an X post said, "Yahya Sinwar's wife was caught sneaking to the tunnels the night before the October 7 attack," claiming she was carrying a Hermes Birkin bag worth $32,000. While Gazans endured hardship under Hamas, Sinwar and his family were shamelessly living in luxury, indulging while sending others to die”.
In the hazy footage shared by Israel, the bag carried by Sinwar's wife looked similar to the Hermes Birkin 40 Black Togo Gold Hardware edition. Israel's claim has not been contested by the Palestinian militant group, according to an NDTV report.
The CCTV footage was shared following Sinwar's death in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in an armour-infantry assault. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani shared the ‘declassified’ footage on X and wrote, “Sinwar hours before the October 7 massacre: taking down his TV into his tunnel, hiding underneath his civilians, and preparing to watch his terrorists murder, kidnap and rape.”
The footage was found a few months ago by the IDF and Shin Bet (ISA), according to a report by The Jerusalem Post.
The Hamas leader was killed by the IDF at Tel Sultan in Rafah on Wednesday in an unplanned operation. The IDF said that its troops suspected there were Hamas terrorists in an area that they eventually fired on. Afterwards, Sinwar’s body was found in the debris.
Sinwar's Killing, a mastermind of the attack that ignited the war in the Gaza Strip, marked a major triumph for Israel.