Sinwar: Israeli official offers safe passage for architect Yahya Sinwar from October 7 in exchange for hostages

CNN
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An Israeli official has raised the possibility of offering Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar safe passage out of Gaza once all hostages still held in the Palestinian territory are released.

Gal Hirsch, Israel's hostage and missing persons coordinator, told CNN's Jessica Dean on Sunday that if all remaining 101 hostages were returned, “I actually believe we will agree to provide safe passage for the chief terrorist, the new Hitler Sinwar – safe passage for him and anyone he wants to join him, out of Gaza.”

Hirsch said these conditions, along with the “demilitarization and deradicalization” of Gaza, could contribute to Gaza’s recovery and an end to the war.

On Tuesday, Hirsch explained the idea in an interview with Bloomberg, saying Israel had already proposed safe passage to Sinwar.

“I am ready to grant safe passage to Sinwar, his family and anyone who wants to join him,” he told Bloomberg. “We want the hostages back. We want demilitarization, of course deradicalization – a new system to manage Gaza.”

He told Bloomberg the offer of safe passage was put on the table a day and a half ago, but did not say what the response had been. Israel is willing to release prisoners as part of an agreement, he told Bloomberg.

CNN has reached out to Hamas for comment on Hirsch's proposal and has also contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office for comment.

Sinwar, one of the most powerful Hamas politicians, is accused by Israel of being the main perpetrator of the October 7 massacre in Israel, when militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took more than 250 hostage. He is also one of the Hamas leaders charged by US prosecutors over the deadly attack.

Hamas appointed Sinwar as head of its political bureau last month, just days after former political bureau chief and top negotiator Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.

He is believed to still be at large in the vast tunnel network beneath Gaza, moving frequently and possibly surrounded by hostages who serve as human shields, U.S. officials believe. He has not been seen in public since Oct. 7.