TL;DR:
- Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in an Israeli military operation in Gaza, confirmed by Hamas and Israeli sources
- Sinwar, considered the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, found alone in a building in Rafah
- His death follows a series of Israeli assassinations targeting Hamas leaders, seen as a significant blow to the group
- While some hope Sinwar’s death could lead to a ceasefire and the release of hostages, others believe it may strengthen Hamas’s resolve
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian group confirmed on Friday that its leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in combat with Israeli forces in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The 62-year-old Sinwar, who had been leading Hamas since August 2022, was considered the mastermind behind the group’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the current war.
Khalil Hayya, the head of Hamas in Gaza, announced Sinwar’s death in a televised address, describing him as “steadfast, brave and intrepid” and someone who “sacrificed his life to the cause of our liberation.” Hayya added that Sinwar “met his end standing brave, with his head held high, holding his firearm, firing until the last breath, until the last moment of his life.“
According to the Israeli military, Sinwar was killed in a surprise firefight on Thursday. Army spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that forces identified three terrorists moving from home to home, with Sinwar running alone into one of the buildings. Drone footage released by the military showed Sinwar covered in dust, sitting in an armchair with a severely injured hand and his head covered in a traditional scarf. “We found him with a gun and 40 thousand shekels ($10,750),” Hagari said. The military conducted DNA testing, dental examinations, and other forensic enquiries to confirm Sinwar’s identity.
Sinwar’s death follows a series of Israeli assassinations targeting Hamas leaders and commanders. He had assumed the role of the group’s leader on August 6, succeeding former political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran on July 31. Israel held Sinwar responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attack in southern Israel, which sparked the ongoing conflict in Gaza that has claimed the lives of at least 42,500 people, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Born in a refugee camp in Khan Younis, Sinwar spent half his adult life in Israeli prisons before being released in 2011 as part of a prisoner swap for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. His death is considered a massive blow to the Palestinian movement engaged in battles with Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip for over a year.
While Hayya vowed that Hamas would continue its struggle until the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, he stated that captives held in Gaza would not be returned until Israel halts its attacks on the enclave and withdraws its forces. The Israeli military and media had previously claimed that Sinwar was hiding in tunnels under Gaza alongside hostages seized by his fighters during the October 7 attack.
Reactions to Sinwar’s death have been mixed, with Lebanon’s Hezbollah pledging to escalate fighting against Israel and Iran asserting that “the spirit of resistance” would be strengthened by the loss of its Palestinian ally. Many world leaders, however, expressed hope that Sinwar’s demise could pave the way for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of captives. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the killing a milestone but vowed to continue the war, stating, “We have before us a great opportunity to stop the axis of evil and create a different future.“
As the conflict in Gaza persists, the impact of Yahya Sinwar’s death on the dynamics between Israel and Hamas remains to be seen. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with calls for a peaceful resolution and the protection of civilian lives on both sides.
Source: Aljazeera
