EU imposes sanctions on Hamas leader

Israel has been pursuing Yahya Sinwar in Gaza for months

Israel's Netanyahu doesn't want Biden's war advice: Marc Thiessen

American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Marc Thiessen discusses the pressure Biden is under from progressives to rein in Benjamin Netanyahu on 'The Story.'

The European Union imposed sanctions on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Tuesday for his role in planning the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

The EU also added Sinwar to the EU terror list. The Israeli military has been attempting to capture or kill Sinwar since the Oct. 7 attack, but has so far found no success.

"[Yahya Sinwar] is subject to the freezing of his funds and other financial assets in EU member states. It is also prohibited for EU operators to make funds and economic resources available to him," the EU wrote in a statement.

Recent reports have suggested that Israel knows Sinwar's location, but cannot strike against him because he has surrounded himself with Israeli hostages. The IDF has refused to comment on reports that it knows the terrorist leader's location, however.

ISRAEL ANNOUNCES PARTIAL TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA IN NEW PHASE OF HAMAS WAR

Yahya Silwar

The EU imposed sanctions on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Tuesday for his role in planning the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel. (Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel believes there are at least 133 Israeli and foreign hostages being held in Gaza, though it is unclear how many of them remain alive.

ISRAELI SOLDIERS TARGETED IN ‘EXTREMELY BLOODY AND INTENSE’ BATTLES AS GAZA STRIP TENSIONS RISE

Israeli forces took over Sinwar's private compound in Gaza weeks ago, but said the leader had long since fled the residence.

Israeli soldiers in Hamas tunnel

Sinwar is believed to have fled his home for the relative safety of Hamas' extensive network of tunnels beneath Gaza's major cities. (AP/Ariel Schalit)

Sinwar is believed to have fled his home for the relative safety of Hamas' extensive network of tunnels that lie beneath Gaza's major cities.

ISRAEL TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST GENOCIDE ACCUSATIONS FILED BY SOUTH AFRICA AT INTERNATIONAL COURT

Reports from some hostages who have been released say Sinwar met with them a few days after they were taken from Israel into Gaza.

Hamas senior leaders visit the border crossing in Gaza

Hamas Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya arrive at the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip. (Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)

"Sinwar was with us three-four days after we got there," Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, told the Davar news outlet. "I asked him how he wasn’t ashamed, to do such a thing to people who for years support peace? He didn’t answer. He was quiet."

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

Authored by Anders Hagstrom via FoxNews January 16th 2024