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Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza City in 2022. (Credit: Mahmoud Hames/AFP via Getty Images)

Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar recently claimed to have an edge over the Israelis in the Gaza conflict, according to leaked messages obtained by the Wall Street Journal.

According to one message, Sinwar recently told Hamas political leaders in the Gulf state of Doha, “We have the Israelis right where we want them.” The date of the message is unclear, but it suggests Sinwar is insistent on continuing the conflict.

The WSJ said it was able to access dozens of messages sent by Sinwar to ceasefire negotiators that had been hidden since Israel launched an October 7 attack that unleashed a devastating war on Gaza that left more than 37,000 people dead, according to Gaza health officials, and most of the enclave destroyed.

Sinwar reportedly sent messages to Hamas leaders — some of whom are in Doha — indicating he is willing to accept civilian casualties as a means to an end.

As Israel prepared to enter Rafah ahead of the Muslim month of Ramadan in February, the WSJ said Sinwar urged Hamas political leaders not to make concessions and instead push for a permanent end to the war.

“Israel’s raid on Rafah will not be a walk in the park,” Sinwar reportedly said in a message to Hamas political leaders.

CNN has not seen the messages reported by the WSJ and cannot confirm the authenticity of the communications.

The mediators are awaiting Hamas’ response to an Israeli proposal put forward by President Biden last month, which aims to secure the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.

While the United States presses those with influence over Hamas to pressure the group to accept the deal, Blinken also made clear that the United States believes the group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar, is the final decision-maker.

“I think there are people who have had influence, but it’s one thing to have influence and it’s another thing to make decisions. I don’t think anybody other than Hamas leaders in Gaza is really going to make decisions,” Blinken said. “That’s what we’re waiting for.”

Blinken said Hamas’ response to the proposal would reflect the group’s priorities.

“We’re waiting on Hamas’ response and that will tell a lot about what they want, what they need and what they care about,” Blinken said. “Are you going to take care of a guy who might be safe right now… I don’t know, 10 stories underground somewhere in Gaza while the people he claims to represent are suffering in a crossfire that he himself created,” Blinken said. “Or will you do whatever it takes to help get it to a better place, end the suffering of the people, and bring real security to Israelis and Palestinians alike?”

In initial messages to ceasefire negotiators, Sinwar seemed “shocked” by the brutality of the 7 October attack on Israel.

“Things have gotten out of control,” Sinwar said in one of his messages, according to the WSJ. He said he was referring to “gangs taking civilian women and children hostage.”

“People got caught up in this and it shouldn’t have happened,” he said.

The man, designated as a terrorist by the United States, had also expressed dismay at not being consulted for the meeting between Hamas political leaders with other Palestinian factions, calling it “shameful and humiliating”.

He said, “As long as the fighters are still standing and we have not lost the war, such contacts should be ended immediately.” He said, “We have the ability to continue the fight for months.”

He compared the war in Gaza to the 7th-century battle in Karbala, Iraq, a monumental moment in Islamic history where the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson was killed. “We have to continue on the same path we started on,” Sinwar wrote. “Or it will be a new Karbala.”