Man rescued Hamas's top figure, but later his nephew was brutally slain.
"I've got the lowdown on the individual who orchestrated, devised, and set in motion this criminal act," Bitton shares with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. "I've known him since '96 – not just him, but the entire Hamas leadership in Gaza – and it was evident to me that this was their plan."
Back in Israel's Nafha Prison, Bitton crossed paths with "the man" – Yahya Sinwar, a Hamas militant serving time for murder, who eventually climbed the ranks to become the group's leader in Gaza. Bitton claims Sinwar's life back then, helping diagnose a brain tumor that ultimately led to his hospitalization for emergency surgery.
Over the years, Bitton confides, "I spent countless hours chatting with Sinwar, gaining me a unique perspective on the mind of this top Hamas official."
But this closeness has taken a heavy emotional toll on Bitton. He accuses Sinwar for the murder of his nephew, slain following a Hamas raid on his home in October.
In 2004, Sinwar sought medical attention for neck pain at the prison clinic.
"When he described the problems he was experiencing, I recognized it as a stroke, and with the general physician, we decided to transport him to the hospital," Bitton recalls.
"He arrived at the hospital, and doctors discovered an abscess in his brain. He was operated on immediately, saving his life. If the abscess had burst, he would have perished."
Sinwar ascended to the leadership role of Hamas in the Gaza Strip in 2017. Born in a refugee camp in southern Gaza in '62, he joined Hamas in the late '80s and was sentenced to life imprisonment in Israel for the abduction and homicide of two Israeli soldiers back in '89.
Released in a prisoner swap in 2011, Sinwar returned to Gaza, working his way up through the ranks of the militant organization. Notable for his brutal treatment of suspected collaborators, Israel accuses Sinwar of orchestrating the October 7 terror attack against Israel - although experts suggest he's likely one of several key figures involved.
The attack was the deadliest in Israel's history, leaving over 1,200 people dead, mostly civilians, with nearly 250 hostages taken into Gaza.
Following his recovery, Sinwar thanked Bitton for saving his life – a sentiment he reiterated upon his release in the 2011 prisoner swap, which saw Sinwar and more than a thousand other Palestinians freed in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
"He promised me that one day he'd repay me," Bitton says.
But that connection meant nothing a few years later.
"And as you can imagine, he made amends for it on October 7, as he was directly responsible for the death of my nephew in Kibbutz Nir Oz," Bitton explains.
Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of several settlements, bore the brunt of Hamas's attack on October 7, with numerous residents slain or taken hostage. Bitton shares that his nephew, Tamir, was "severely injured" while desperately fighting off the attackers.
"There were only five of them, they didn't really stand a chance, and he was kidnapped while still seriously injured and unconscious, eventually succumbing to his injuries after a few hours in Gaza," Bitton says.
A Strong Connection
Bitton, who joined Israeli intelligence later, developed a close relationship with Sinwar during his time in prison.
Sinwar, Bitton reveals, is firm in his belief that Jewish people have "no right" to live on "Muslim lands."
Consequently, Bitton saw it as "just a matter of time and circumstance before they [Hamas] would act against us and try to expel us from our land."
Despite 8 months of Israeli fighting in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 37,000 Palestinians, Sinwar remains at large and thought to be hiding within the territory.
When asked about his opinion of Sinwar's mindset, Bitton states that the Hamas leader prioritizes maintaining his power above all else.
He suspects that Sinwar would be "willing to sacrifice even 100,000 Palestinians to ensure the survival of his rule."
"He's willing to sacrifice militants, Hamas members, civilians – it doesn't matter to him," Bitton asserts.
With this in mind, Bitton believes Israel made a mistake by not offering an alternative to Hamas's rule, which might have weakened Sinwar's power.
Bitton maintains that Sinwar still believes he "remains in a powerful position."
"He leads the negotiations while operating from within Gaza, retains control over the areas from which the IDF withdraws, manages humanitarian aid, and therefore feels powerful and won't sign an agreement to release hostages unless the IDF withdraws from Gaza and the fighting ends."
During his imprisonment, Sinwar immersed himself in studying his enemies, even learning Hebrew. It's a lesson Israel should have taken note of too, Bitton suggests, admitting that "our attitude towards Hamas was arrogant. We dismissed Hamas, and they stated everything they intended to do – but we wouldn't listen."
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Bitton believes that Sinwar's actions against his nephew stem from his belief that Jewish people have no right to live on "Muslim lands," reflecting his stance on the Middle East. Despite the intense Israeli military operations in Gaza that resulted in the death of over 37,000 Palestinians, Sinwar remains a significant figure in the region, asserting his authority as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.