ISRAEL – Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has written a rare letter to Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, according to the Lebanese militant group, in which he reaffirms his commitment to fighting Israel and supporting the Iran-backed alliance of regional militants known as the “Axis of Resistance.”

Sinwar, Hamas’ political leader who is believed to be hiding underground in Gaza, told Nasrallah that the group is committed to the path of resistance taken by his slain predecessor Ismail Haniyeh and to the “unity of the Ummah (Islamic nation), at the heart of which is the Axis of Resistance, in the face of the Zionist project.”

The letter, shared by Hezbollah’s Telegram channel, was written to show gratitude for Hezbollah’s ongoing fight against Israel, which began on October 8, just a day after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel that triggered a devastating Israeli assault on Gaza.

One of Israel’s most wanted men, Sinwar hasn’t been seen since the war. He also hadn’t been publicly heard from for almost a year – until this week. On Tuesday, he issued his first statement since the war, congratulating Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for his election victory, according to Hamas’ Telegram channel. The next day, his office said he wrote letters thanking those who offered condolences for Haniyeh’s death. And on Friday came the letter to Nasrallah. CNN cannot verify if Sinwar is indeed the author of the letters.

“He’s trying to say I’m here, I’m alive, I’m very much in command. I’m constantly updated and aware of everything happening outside Gaza,” said Muhammad Shehada, a writer and analyst from Gaza. “He wants to show that he is able to operate on multiple fronts, the domestic front – the battlefield in Gaza – and the diplomatic front – mediations.”

The target audience for such letters, he said, is primarily Israel, to whom Sinwar is attempting to show that despite efforts to find him, he is still able to continue working without interference. (CNN) …[+]