The wife of slain Hamas chief Sinwar had a $32,000 Birkin bag on October 6. Escape picture: report

The wife of former Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar was seen carrying a $32,000 Birkin bag in newly released footage, taken just a day before the Islamic group launched its attack on Israel on October 7. last year

IDF spokesman Lt.-Col. Avichay Adraee highlighted the contrast between the luxury item and the dire conditions in Gaza, where many residents struggle to afford the necessities. In a post on X, Adraee asked if Sinwar’s wife entered a tunnel during her Oct. 6 escape while wearing a face bag.

The image, released by the IDF, shows Sinwar and his family fleeing just hours before the October 7 attacks. The Israeli military described how the family spent hours gathering supplies for an extended stay underground. The bag in question is speculated to be a Hermes Birkin 25, a luxury item worth tens of thousands of dollars, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Life and Death of Sinwar

Before his death, Sinwar was estimated to have a net worth of around $3 billion, and was found to have thousands of shekels. The juxtaposition of her family’s wealth with the suffering of Gaza residents sparked reactions on social media, with some users sarcastically commenting on the use of luxury items in this context.

On Saturday, the Israeli military released footage it said showed Sinwar preparing for an extended clandestine stay in Gaza hours before the Palestinian group launched its attack on October 7. Sinwar, then the top Hamas figure in the Gaza Strip, is accused of leading the unprecedented attack last year that sparked the ongoing war. He was killed by Israeli forces earlier this week.

Footage released by the Israeli military showed Sinwar with his wife and children in a tunnel that army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said was under Khan Yunis’ family home. “You can see how Sinwar and his relatives escape to an underground compound under his house on the night of October 6, just hours before the brutal massacre,” Hagari told a televised briefing as he showed the grainy footage.

“Water, pillows, a plasma screen”

Sinwar, wearing a plain T-shirt, is seen walking through the tunnel with his two sons and his wife. “They are alone for hours. Sinwar and his son go up and down, equipping themselves with plates of food, water, pillows, plasma screen, mattresses and other products for a long stay,” said Hagari.

The spokesman showed images of the underground compound which had toilets, showers and a kitchen. He said food, cash and some documents were also found there. The release of the video comes days after Sinwar was killed by troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah in a shootout that left the Hamas leader cornered and alone in a destroyed building.

Footage from the drone, also released by the Israeli military after his death, showed an apparently injured Sinwar throwing an object at the drone in his final moments. The military has also shared footage showing an Israeli tank firing at the building where Sinwar was said to be. The Hamas leader, who replaced his slain predecessor Ismail Haniyeh a few months ago, had not been seen in public during the war.

(With input from the agency)