Friday, October 18, 2024
Israeli military announces Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's death, confirmed by DNA test, following October 16 military operation in Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military announced Thursday that its forces have killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Sinwar's death was confirmed through a DNA test after he was targeted in an Israeli military operation on October 16.
Sinwar, 61, had led Hamas in Gaza since 2017 and was believed by Israeli officials to have played a key role in the October 7, 2023, attacks. On that day, Hamas gunmen stormed southern Israel, carrying out a coordinated attack and taking around 250 people captive.
The Israeli military operation is part of a broader effort to eliminate Hamas' presence in Gaza. This conflict began after the October 7 attacks and has lasted over a year.
Sinwar also chaired Hamas' political bureau since August, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran.
Before the announcement, unconfirmed photos showed a man resembling Sinwar buried under rubble. The Israeli military stated Sinwar was "eliminated after hiding behind Gaza's civilian population" and credited dozens of operations for restricting his movement.
Israeli officials view Sinwar's killing as a significant achievement in their battle against Hamas.