Drone Donated by New Jersey Jews Helped IDF Eliminate Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar

In October, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used a drone donated by a New Jersey Jewish community to locate and eliminate Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader responsible for orchestrating the October 7 terror attacks on Israel. Sinwar’s death marks a critical moment in Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas, with the operation reflecting the collaborative efforts of Jewish communities and the IDF.

The operation involved two drones that played pivotal roles in identifying Sinwar’s location and documenting his final moments:

• A DJI Mavic equipped with thermal imaging, donated by a group in New Jersey, was instrumental in tracking a group of militants, including Sinwar, as they moved between buildings.

• A DJI Avata, provided by London-based fashion designer Hannah Lancry Sufrin, was used for navigating small spaces, enabling IDF forces to pinpoint Sinwar’s hiding spot.

Sinwar was killed after attempting to evade capture, running alone into a building. Footage from a drone captured him in his final moments, covering his head and throwing an object at the device.

The story of the drones begins with Chaim Meisels, a 30-year-old American reservist in the IDF, who helped secure donations from Jewish communities. After speaking at a synagogue in Teaneck, New Jersey, Meisels informed congregants of the IDF’s critical equipment needs. The community quickly raised $10,000 through private donors and synagogue funds, which they used to purchase the drones.

“The excitement we all felt when we heard Sinwar was dead and that the drone we donated helped locate him was unreal,” said Lindsay, a Teaneck resident who spearheaded the fundraising effort.

Meisels, originally from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was raised in the Orthodox Jewish Satmar community. Despite his community’s opposition to serving in the IDF, he felt compelled to join and spent six years in Israel as a “lone soldier.” Following the October 7 Hamas attacks, Meisels returned to Israel to fight, initially stationed on the Lebanon border before entering Gaza with his unit.

Meisels described the challenges of urban warfare in Gaza, noting the difficulty in distinguishing civilians from combatants and the widespread presence of weapons in civilian homes. He also detailed the emotional impact of finding traces of hostages in residential buildings.

“There isn’t a lot of civilians, and a lot of the people there identify with Hamas and will try to kill you if they can,” he said.

When not on reserve duty, Meisels serves as National Chapters Director at Nevut, a nonprofit supporting former lone soldiers transitioning back to civilian life in the United States. He works to ensure veterans receive the care they need, including assistance for PTSD.

“We just basically try to tell them they’re not alone and we didn’t forget their service,” he said.

Meisels’ story and the decisive use of community-donated drones highlights how grassroots efforts can play a significant role in global security challenges.

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