CLAIM: Sinwar’s wife enters the tunnel with him on October 6, carrying a Hermes Birkin bag estimated to cost about $32,000
CONCLUSION: From comparing the two bags, it is clear they are different, and Sinwar’s wife does not appear to be holding a Hermes Birkin valued at $32,000.
The claim first appeared in a post (with a question mark) on the profile of Avichay Adraee, the spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on X (formerly Twitter). The photograph (screenshot from a video) supposedly shows Samar Abu Zamar, the wife of Yahya Sinwar, carrying an expensive bag. Specifically, the post stated:
“Did Sinwar’s wife enter the tunnel with him on October 6, carrying a Birkin bag estimated to cost around $32,000? I’ll leave it to you to comment. While Gaza’s residents lack enough money for a tent or basic necessities, we see many examples of Yahya Sinwar and his wife’s special love for money…”
The image on the left is from a video allegedly taken inside Hamas tunnels on October 6, 2023, one day before the deadly attack on Israel. The image on the right shows a Hermès Birkin bag, purportedly worth $32,000.
Yahya Sinwar was killed on October 17, 2024. He was the leader of Hamas, having assumed the role after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in July 2024. According to the IDF, the video comes from Gaza.
Below, we can see two screenshots of Sinwar’s wife holding the bag in question:
In the following images, you can see the Hermès bag she supposedly holds:
The bag has a golden-colored clasp, two metal plates through which the leather strap passes, and a lock.
Sinwar’s wife’s bag has two larger plates that seem to hold the bag’s handle. From the comparison, the bags appear different.
Conclusion
From the comparison of the two bags, it is evident that they are different, and Sinwar’s wife does not seem to be holding a Hermes bag worth $32,000.