Yahya Sinwar, the former unchallenged leader of Hamas in Gaza and mastermind of the October 7, 2023, massacre, was not only an ideological terrorist but also an author. In 2004, while serving a life sentence in an Israeli prison, Sinwar authored a novel titled “The Thorn and the Carnation”.
Now, A new study reveals disturbing messages embedded in the book, more than two decades after its publication. The study, conducted by Dr. Ofir Winter, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and Niv Shayovitz will be fully published in the INSS journal Strategic Assessment.
The study exposes the novel as more than fiction, portraying it as an ideological manifesto designed to shape extremist political and religious consciousness, incite hatred against Jews and promote jihad as an aspiration for young Palestinians.
“The Thorn and the Carnation” follows the lives of three Palestinians under alleged occupation. Beneath the narrative, Sinwar’s violent worldview emerges clearly. The protagonist, Ahmad, mirrors Sinwar’s own life, delivering monologues that glorify martyrdom, depict Jews as eternal enemies and call for Israel’s total destruction.
According to the researchers, the novel is not mere literature but a visionary text laying the groundwork for concrete actions. “There’s a direct line between what Sinwar wrote then and the events of October 2023,” Dr. Winter said. “Ignoring this connection risks missing a critical ideological driver of Hamas’s terrorism.”
Dr. Winter discovered the novel during his research, finding a dusty copy in Jerusalem’s National Library, untouched since 2010. “The book was barely opened but its contents reveal not just a story but an ideological indictment,” he said. “It contains early hints of the attack, including aspirations for kidnappings, unconventional weapons and deliberate targeting of Israeli women and children.”
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The novel is steeped in religious and historical references, notably the Battle of Khaybar, a symbol of the Prophet Muhammad’s fight against Jewish tribes. This battle is a recurring motif in Hamas rhetoric, including chants of “Khaybar, Khaybar, O Jews” by attackers on October 7. For Sinwar, Khaybar is not just history but a blueprint for the present and future.
Contrary to assumptions, the novel has not faded into obscurity. Since the war in Gaza began, it has become a bestseller in some Arab markets and has been translated into several languages. Dr. Winter called this trend alarming, describing the book as “not a cultural document but a guide for action, an ideological bomb.” He urges efforts to curb its global distribution.
The researchers argued that Sinwar’s ideas, as expressed in the novel, threaten not only Jews and Israelis but also any prospect of a political solution. “The text speaks in the language of blood, not reconciliation,” the study notes. “Those who glorify death cannot lead toward life.”
A Tel Aviv University article inspired by the study called on Israel’s security officials and its Western allies to take terrorist writings seriously. “Words reveal intentions,” the researchers emphasized.
Literary texts can serve as valuable tools for intelligence agencies to identify enemy motives, understand their worldview and predict their actions. However, the spread of such texts in popular discourse risks fueling radicalization and encouraging terrorism.
The study underscored that combating terrorism requires addressing not only physical threats but also ideological ones. Sinwar’s “The Thorn and the Carnation” is a stark reminder that the fight against terror is primarily a battle of ideas. Understanding Hamas’s ideology, as revealed in Sinwar’s own words, demands confronting its shocking content.
“This is not just a story. It’s a dangerous document, a red flag, and a call to action—not only for Gaza’s youth but also for us,” Dr. Winter concluded. “I’m troubled that the book has been translated into many languages and is still sold in bookstores across Europe, North America and the Middle East,” Shayovitz added. “Steps must be taken to ban its distribution where possible.”