The martyrdom of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and architect of the 7 October cross-border incursion against Israel, strengthens the influence of the Palestinian resistance groups and elevates him as a symbol of resistance and a role model for freedom fighters worldwide. This is the view of Brazilian Professor Marcelo Buzetto, who specializes in international relations.
Contrary to what the Israeli occupation regime and its allies in the Western media have been claiming for over a year, Sinwar was not “in a tunnel surrounded by hostages and security guards.” Rather, he was killed with weapons in his hand on the front line of the resistance against Israeli occupation forces in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
“Sinwar became a symbol of resistance because these fighters made a political decision to stay and fight in the territory rather than go into exile,” Buzetto told me. “He died, but his legacy will live on forever in history and in the memory of the people’s struggle for justice and national sovereignty. His story will be told, and the number of anti-colonialist fighters will multiply across the Arab, Islamic and wider world.” Sinwar’s death, he added, is very symbolic.
“When a leader risks his own life and that of his family to defend his people, it is inevitable that he becomes a symbol of courage and integrity, because he acted on what he always preached: defending his people with dignity in extremely difficult circumstances. He will always be remembered for this stance, honored and followed by millions who will take up his cause in the fight to end the Israeli apartheid regime.”
Buzetto is the author of The Palestinian Question: War, Politics, and International Relations. In his assessment, Sinwar’s impact has led to greater solidarity with the Palestinian cause in Brazil and throughout Latin America.
“The scenes of Sinwar’s martyrdom and his resistance until the last moment have garnered increased solidarity with the Palestinian cause, not only in Brazil, but around the world as well. I believe that even the enemies of the Palestinian cause will be forced to recognize the courage and determination of Commander Sinwar, because he did not flee the battlefield. He fought until the end under highly asymmetric conditions.” He added that Sinwar highlighted, once again, the cowardice of Israeli soldiers, a trait that is already widely recognized.
“Commander Sinwar followed a path similar to that of heroes like Ernesto Che Guevara, who fought for freedom and resisted genocide,” explained Buzetto. “The people of Gaza are now witnessing one of the largest and most intense genocides in human history. The Palestinian people are paying a very high price in human lives.”
The martyrdom of Yahya Sinwar has had a significant impact in Latin America.
This is seen in the responses of Latin American figures and media coverage, including those from opposition outlets.
“The martyrdom of Sinwar, in the midst of a battle between Hamas and the Israeli military in Rafah, challenges Israel’s narrative that the movement’s leadership was either hiding in tunnels or living in luxury in exile,” said Brazil’s official news agency.
Rashmi Singh, professor of international relations at the Pontifical Catholic University (PUC) told Agência Brasil: “The way [Sinwar] was found and killed showed that he was fighting on the front lines and in active combat, which not only made him a martyr but also a rallying symbol for Hamas and other groups. Just look at how the image of him in uniform and keffiyeh with his injured arm, went viral on the internet – he is being transformed into a symbol [of resistance].”
Hamas, she pointed out, has lost many of its leading members over the past 30 years, and each time it has not only survived the loss but has quickly replaced the leader with another of its own. “Hamas’s structure allows it to function in units, which enables it to withstand the pressure of assassinations.”
According to the Palestinian Arab Federation of Brazil (FEPAL), Sinwar will be remembered as a martyr and hero of the Palestinian people, alongside figures such as Yasser Arafat and Sheikh Izzedine Qassam, and all those who reject living under the colonial yoke.
“The Palestinian people have the right to be masters of their own destiny, their own victory, and their own invincibility. The Palestinians are being murdered to prevent the end of the Zionist colonial project in Palestine,” said FEPAL.
“The people have never left their land and have resisted all the colonial empires and occupations that have passed through. This time will be no different. The Palestinian people will remain in their land, even while they face the largest and most bloodthirsty empire in history.”
-Eman Abusidu is MEMO’s correspondent in Brazil.
