‘Sinwar's Stick’: How slain Hamas leader inspired new phrase for resistance

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s last act of defiance, caught on drone camera and televised the world over, has spawned a new Arab phrase for resistance – and symbolising the unwavering Palestinian spirit of fighting to the end.

Though it is unclear who first used the term but “Asa al Sinwar” – Arabic for "Sinwar's Stick" – has become the rallying cry for social media users since the former political bureau head of Hamas was caught on camera moments before his death, throwing a stick at a drone inside a damaged building in Gaza.

Sinwar’s act has since then become a powerful metaphor for resistance for Palestinians in Gaza and other occupied territories where they have been facing a brutal war by Israel since October 7, 2023.

“He died a hero, attacking not fleeing, clutching his rifle, and engaging against the occupation army at the front line,” the Hamas said in a statement earlier this month.

Sinwar’s defiance resonated deeply with many.

Many social media users shared the same explanation to describe the Hamas leader’s final act: “It means you've tried absolutely everything and had nothing else left except a stick.”

“‘I threw Sinwar's stick at it’ means you gave it your all after you've exhausted all your efforts to achieve your goals.”

The tributes came from far and wide.

Zafarul-Islam Khan, the former chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission in India, said, “They thought he was dead, and with him, the Palestinian Freedom Movement too died. Within days of his martyrdom, Sinwar has become a legend. A new Arabic proverb has just been coined: "I hit him with the Sinwar stick", meaning I fought him with all my strength till the last breath.”

Another social media user, Tariq Mehmood, said, “Sinwar's Stick is more powerful than David's Sling, it fires from the hearts of millions”. David’s Sling is one of the several missile defence systems used by Israel.

Some took his defiance as a message for all. A social media user, Abu Umamah, wrote, “Sinwar's Stick: Not only an act of defiance but exhausting all your efforts is the deep message for us all.”

Security experts have said that the Israeli military made a mistake by releasing the video on Sinwar’s last moment, which has only put a halo around the Palestinian resistance leader.

Photos and videos of Sinwar in military fatigue debunked a months-long Israeli misinformation campaign against him, portraying him as a coward who had abandoned his people and fled Gaza.

“Instead of achieving a propaganda victory, what has actually happened is that the video has backfired on them (Israel) and shown a leader who was standing up on the front lines to the enemy,” Robert Inkalesh, a Middle-East analyst, had told TRT World in an earlier interview.

Rasha, a displaced mother of four, expressed pride in his bravery.

"They said he was hiding inside the tunnels. They said he was keeping Israeli prisoners next to him to save his life. Yesterday, we saw that he was hunting down Israeli soldiers in Rafah, where the occupation has been operating since May,” she was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.

"This is how leaders go, with a rifle in the hand. I supported Sinwar as a leader and today I am proud of him as a martyr," she added.