Sinwar reportedly seeking guarantee Israel won’t try to kill him during negotiations on a deal

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has recently sent a message to the Qatari mediators of a potential hostage-ceasefire deal seeking a guarantee that Israel will not try to kill him in the course of the negotiations, Channel 12 says in an unsourced report.

Sinwar wants “immunity” from a potential targeted strike during the talks, the report says.

It further says that the Qataris responded by telling him that his personal wellbeing is not the issue, and that a deal must be done and the hostages returned. It also claims Qatar is threatening to freeze Hamas bank assets and warning that it will not help fund rebuilding in Gaza after the war unless there is progress in the currently deadlocked talks.

The TV station was one of several media outlets that reported yesterday that Sinwar has reestablished contact with the Qatari mediators after weeks of silence. These reports have not been confirmed and the Ynet news site quoted an Israeli source earlier today denying them.