Sinwar depicted as a Samurai, in surprise japanese tribute to fallen Hamas leader

Yahya Sinwar's final moments, under attack by Israeli forces in Gaza, have inspired artwork around the world, with one Japanese newspaper publishing an illustration of the Hamas leader as a Samurai warrior.

Drone footage released by the Israeli military last week showed the wounded Sinwar defiantly throwing a piece of wood at the UAV as it hovered over him before he was killed by Israeli forces on 16 October in the southern Gaza Strip.

He was wearing military attire, draped in a keffiyeh, and carrying a handgun as he fought Israeli soldiers during his last moments, contrasting with the information spread by Israel that he was living underground surrounded by Israeli human shields.

Sinwar was appointed head of Hamas following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July and became Israel's enemy number 1 following his role in directing the group's 7 October attacks in southern Israel.

His life has been shrouded in mystery over the years, despite spending over two decades in Israeli prison, where he learned fluent Hebrew, and held top military positions in Hamas.

Social media sites were awash of illustrations and old photos of Sinwar following his killing.

One image depicted him as a Japanese Samurai warrior, with a sword in hand and wearing green and black clothing.

"Sinwar’s last moments still fighting the enemy sitting on a 1950’ style sofa in a destroyed house his head bleeding, right arm cut off and one of his left fingers too will be as iconic as Che Guevara’s picture for generations to come," one social media user wrote on X.

Another image of Sinwar has since gone viral, referencing an earlier photo of Sinwar sitting on an armchair amid the rubble of a home bombed by Israel, suggesting that he is unphased by the attack, next to a similar final image of Sinwar when he was killed.

A caption read: "Even in his final moments alive, the settlers couldn’t get Yahya Sinwar to budge from his chair. Glory to the martyrs."

Another image widely shared shows the armchair he was killed in with a pistol resting on the seat. Others re-shared an image of Sinwar as a statue, describing him as an "eternal legend".

Some commentators said by throwing all he had at hand, a stick, Sinwar had mirrored the words of killed Gaza poet Refaat Al-Areer: "I’m an academic probably the toughest thing I have at home is an EXPO marker, but if Israelis invade my home to massacre us, I’m going to use the marker to throw it as the Israeli soldiers, even if that is the last thing I am able to do."

"Sinwar dying on the frontline gun in hand after years of being slandered as a bourgeois coward enjoying a lavish lifestyle in secrecy is tragic but maybe about the most blunt symbolic representation of the moral asymmetry in this godawful war," one person commented.

According to various reports on Monday, Sinwar rejected offers that would allow him to escape Gaza in exchange for Egypt taking over ceasefire negotiations on Hamas’ behalf.

The Wall Street Journal reported he was offered to be allowed to escape to Egypt, citing sources in the US and Hamas, but he refused.

Israeli media slammed for ‘propaganda’

Since the killing of Sinwar, Israeli media has garnered widespread criticism for "spreading propaganda" including claims that Sinwar’s wife was spotted in a tunnel in Gaza carrying a luxury Hermes Birkin handbag.

The footage shared shows Sinwar’s wife carrying a black handbag with silver hardware, which does not closely resemble the $32,000 Hermes bag, which is extremely difficult to purchase due to its limited availability and customers needing to build up a long purchase history with the brand before they are given the option to buy the item.

The bag in the footage does not feature the curved top or lock that distinguish the Birkin bags and instead has visible deep folds on the side.

Israeli commentators re-shared the footage, alleging it was an "example of Hamas leaders getting rich at the expense of Palestinians" and what "donations are going towards".

However, the rumours were quickly shut down by social media users, who said there was no evidence the bag was an original and the claims were completely without warrant.