Sinwar was released as one of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners who were swapped in 2011 for a single Israel soldier, Gilad Shalit.

On 7 October last year, in a meticulously planned series of attacks, Sinwar and his men inflicted Israel's worst-ever defeat - and a collective trauma that is still deeply felt.

The killing of around 1,200 Israelis, the hostage-taking and the celebrations of their enemies recalled for many Israelis the Nazi holocaust.

Sinwar's own experience in a prisoner swap must have convinced him of the value and power of taking hostages.

Israel's security failures allowed Sinwar and his men, to break into Israel
Prime minister Netanyahu insists that only what he calls 'total victory' in Gaza over Hamas will restore Israeli security.

He has repeated his war aims many times
1. destroying Hamas as a military and political force
2. and bringing the hostages home.

Neither has been achieved, despite a year of war that has killed at least 42,000 Palestinians and left much of Gaza in ruins. But
1. the remaining hostages are not free
2. Hamas is still fighting
3. and sometimes killing Israeli troops.