By Lucy Adautin
Israeli military sources have confirmed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is dead, following DNA analysis and finger prints checks.
Sinwar is considered the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that three Hamas militants, including Sinwar, were killed in operations in Gaza. However, the identities of the other militants killed have not yet been confirmed.
“There were no indications of hostages in the vicinity,” the Israeli military posted on X, adding that forces are continuing operations with caution.
Born in 1962 in the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza, Sinwar became an early member of Hamas, founded in 1987. He led the group’s security wing, purging Israeli informants, according to the Associated Press.
Arrested by Israel in the late 1980s, Sinwar admitted to killing 12 suspected collaborators, earning him the nickname “The Butcher of Khan Younis”. He received four life sentences for crimes including the killing of two Israeli soldiers.
Sinwar is also thought to have orchestrated the 2016 assassination of Hamas commander Mahmoud Ishtewi during an internal power struggle.
Along with Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’ military wing, Sinwar is believed to have planned the October 7 attack on Israel. While Israel claims to have killed Deif in a July strike, Hamas insists he is still alive.
The October 7 assault resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis, mainly civilians, and triggered the ongoing war that has claimed over 42,000 Palestinian lives in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
Hamas stated that the attack was a response to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and aimed at reigniting international focus on their cause.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may leverage Sinwar’s death as proof of the success of military operations against top Hamas leaders, according to NewsNation partner The Hill.
The US had blamed Sinwar for stalling cease-fire and hostage release negotiations, though Netanyahu faced similar accusations.
Negotiations over hostage releases broke down in August, and it remains uncertain how Sinwar’s death will impact future talks.
Hamas is believed to be holding approximately 100 hostages in Gaza, while about 9,500 Palestinians are detained by Israel, many without formal charges, according to international human rights groups.
