Inside Gaza Tunnels: The Moment Hostages Emily Damari and Romi Gonen Learned Sinwar Was Dead

Former hostages Emily Damari and Romi Gonen, who endured prolonged captivity in Gaza after being abducted by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, recently shared vivid details of how they discovered that Yahya Sinwar, the architect of their abduction and the October 7 massacre, had been killed by IDF troops. The two women appeared as guests on a Galgalatz radio broadcast, speaking with presenter Hadar Marks about the surreal experience inside their holding location.

The pivotal moment came while watching television in the presence of their captors. "We see Sinwar in that famous picture on TV, with his 'beautiful' teeth," the former hostages recounted. Emily Damari asked one of the terrorists what the broadcast was saying. The terrorist replied, "Your army killed 20 children." Damari pointed out the image on screen, saying, "But there's a picture of Sinwar."

The terrorist tried to dodge the truth at first, insisting it was not Sinwar. After a few minutes, he turned to Romi Gonen and said, "'Your lying army said that it killed Sinwar.'" The women responded simply, "Oh, cool."

As time went on, the news evolved in real time. "Every minute that passed, Sinwar became 'more dead,'" they described. Eventually, the terrorists confirmed the reality, announcing that Sinwar was truly gone and adding the phrase "Allah yarhamhu" (may Allah have mercy on him, meaning rest in peace). Once alone, the women expressed their genuine reaction, with Damari noting, "When we were alone, we said, 'Wow, they really eliminated him!'"

Damari also highlighted the irony and dark humor in the circumstances of Sinwar's death. She recounted how they found it amusing that a squad commander from the IDF was the one who took out the top Hamas terrorist leader, joking that he must have said, "I killed the rat."

Their account underscores the psychological games played by Hamas terrorists during captivity, including initial denials and attempts to twist facts about IDF operations. Sinwar, long a key figure in planning attacks against Israel, met his end in October 2024 during ground operations in Gaza, a development that brought significant relief and a sense of justice to many Israelis, including those who suffered directly under his command. For Damari and Gonen, who were released in January 2025 as part of a ceasefire-hostage deal after 471 days in captivity, hearing confirmation of his elimination marked a powerful turning point even while still held. Their candid retelling on the radio reflects resilience in the face of terror and the small victories found in truth breaking through propaganda.