High-profile lawyer and legal commentator Alan Dershowitz made an unconventional overture to Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with The Forward, Dershowitz offered to defend Sinwar pro bono if he surrendered to Israeli authorities.
"If you surrender and turn yourself over to the Israeli authorities, they will put you on trial and I will be your defense attorney," Dershowitz declared in comments addressed directly to Sinwar. "You've got yourself a pro bono lawyer. I will defend you without cost and I may even win. But you have to come out and surrender first and then I'll be your lawyer."
The 84-year-old former Harvard law professor, who has been involved in numerous high-profile legal cases over his storied career, explicitly framed the offer as a proposed "deal" for Sinwar.
When asked whether there was anyone he would not defend, Dershowitz said, "Obviously, I wouldn't defend somebody who is a continuing criminal, who would go back and commit more crimes. I draw the line there. I don't defend people a second time."
Dershowitz's remarks come in the wake of Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The war broke out after the terror group invaded Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping over 200 more. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that a date has been set for the IDF to expand its anti-terrorism campaign against Hamas in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, a move essential to dismantle Hamas and secure the release of the 134 hostages still held captive.
