As Gaza residents continue to suffer under Israeli airstrikes and a deepening humanitarian crisis, families of senior Hamas leaders have quietly left the territory, raising questions and deepening public resentment.
While Israeli forces intensify their military campaign against Hamas and negotiations proceed in Doha, many in Gaza are asking: Where are the families of the leaders responsible for launching the war and bringing devastation to the enclave?
Sinwar and his family at the start of the war
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
According to multiple local sources, the families of top Hamas officials were smuggled out of the Gaza Strip in the early days of the war, using forged documents, logistical support, and assistance from foreign contacts. Though these accounts remain unverified by official sources, the reports have sparked anger among Gazans living under siege conditions.
In January, the Israeli military released footage showing Samar Abu Zamer, widow of Hamas military commander Yahya Sinwar, entering a Hamas tunnel with her children. Initial speculation suggested she had gone underground. But local sources later told Israeli news outlet Ynet that Abu Zamer had left Gaza entirely and was living in Turkey.
“She’s no longer here—she crossed through the Rafah border using a fake passport,” one source said, noting the operation involved “high-level coordination, logistical support, and large sums of money that regular Gazans don’t have.”
The source also said Abu Zamer remarried in Turkey a few months after Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces. The match was reportedly arranged by senior Hamas political bureau member Fathi Hammad, who has been previously linked to efforts aiding the escape of Hamas figures and their families. Abu Zamer faced criticism last year when footage showed her carrying an expensive Hermès Birkin handbag while hiding in a tunnel.
Attention has also turned to Najwa Sinwar, wife of Yahya Sinwar’s brother, Muhammad Sinwar, who was also killed by Israel. There is no public record of her whereabouts in recent months. Local sources believe she, too, left Gaza with her children before her husband’s death, possibly also for Turkey. Israeli security officials confirmed that both women exited Gaza via the Rafah crossing before their husbands were killed.
While these reported departures have not been officially confirmed by Hamas, Gazans are increasingly vocal in their frustrations. “They send their children to study in Turkey and Qatar—and send ours to the grave,” said a young Gaza resident who survived recent bombings. “What makes them different from any corrupt ruler in the Arab world? They only look after themselves.”
According to regional observers, Hamas has long maintained a covert smuggling network to evacuate its leaders’ families. The system reportedly involves forged passports, fake medical records, and coordination with embassies of allied nations.
The apparent contrast between Gaza’s ruling elite and the general population has fueled public anger amid worsening living conditions, widespread displacement, and food shortages.
Still, one exception stood out to many Gazans: Umm Khaled, wife of Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif. In a recent video circulated online, she is seen in a modest home with her three children.
“There are four mattresses and a mat in our house. That’s how it was before the war, and after,” she said. “I’m not fleeing. I’m here with my people.”
Some observers said the video was meant to counter growing perceptions of mass flight by Hamas leaders’ families. Others welcomed the statement as a rare show of solidarity. “At least one of them stayed,” one resident said.
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As Israel’s offensive in Gaza continues and the humanitarian toll mounts, many in the territory are increasingly questioning the motives and actions of their leaders. “Did we carry the burden for the sake of resistance,” a local man asked, “or just so Hamas leaders can live in five-star hotels in Doha and Istanbul?”