Al Jazeera on Thursday, October 30, 2026, released never-before-seen footage of a private phone call between two of Palestine’s most senior resistance leaders, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, recorded in May 2021.
The video, filmed just minutes after a ceasefire was announced ending the 11-day Battle of Sword of Al-Quds, shows Sinwar breaking down in tears while speaking to the Qassam Brigades military chief.
Both men have since been assassinated by Israeli occupation during the war on Gaza. The footage is now being widely shared as their final testament. The footage was recorded inside what appears to be a modest office in Gaza. Sinwar, dressed in casual clothes, is holding a mobile phone. His eyes are red. His voice is trembling.
According to Al Jazeera, the call took place on May 21, 2021, after Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Palestinian resistance factions and the Israeli occupation. The war had left 260 Palestinians martyred, including 66 children.
In the video, Sinwar is heard thanking Deif and the fighters, saying the resistance had “raised the head of the Ummah and defended Al-Quds.”
Sources close to the resistance told Al Jazeera that Sinwar was overwhelmed by the civilian death toll, despite the military achievement of striking Tel Aviv.
Mohammed Deif, who had survived more than seven Israeli assassination attempts by then, is not seen but is heard on the line. Al Jazeera said Deif responded by praising the steadfastness of the Palestinian people.
Why The Video Matters Now
The timing of the release has triggered a wave of emotion across the Arab and Islamic world.
In 2021, Sinwar and Deif were alive, leading Gaza. In 2024, both were martyred after leading the Al-Aqsa Flood operation and more than a year of war.
For millions, the video humanizes two men Israel spent decades portraying as mere “terrorist targets.” It shows no weapons, no threats. It shows a leader weeping for his people after a war ended a stark contrast to the image of celebration often associated with ceasefires.
Political analyst Mustafa Barghouti, commenting on the footage, said: “This video destroys the Israeli narrative. It shows leaders who carry the suffering of their people personally. That is why they were so dangerous to the occupation.” The footage also serves as a reminder of the continuity of the battle for Jerusalem. The 2021 battle was named for Al-Quds, after Israeli provocations in the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Three years later, the same cause triggered the largest battle in the conflict’s history.
The video ends without a formal statement. Just Sinwar wiping his tears and ending the call with a prayer. Al Jazeera did not disclose how it obtained the footage, but confirmed its authenticity and date.
For Palestinians, the footage is more than an archive. It is evidence that the leaders who asked them to endure the siege were enduring it with them and weeping for them when the cameras were off.
Both callers are now gone. The tears remain.
