The Israeli military has confirmed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the 7 October attack on Israel last year, has been killed during an operation in southern Gaza.
In a statement, the spokesperson said the leader was killed by a southern command military operation in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday night. Verification of his body had been ongoing since then.
The death of Yahya Sinwar represents a major boost to the Israeli military and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a string of high-profile assassinations of prominent leaders of the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah in recent months.
Israel’s Army Radio said the incident occurred during a ground operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip during which Israeli troops killed three militants and took their bodies.
Sinwar was the chief architect of last October’s attack on Israel, which killed nearly 1,200 people and led to 251 more being taken hostage, and triggered the war inside Gaza. More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed since.
Sinwar had thus far eluded detection, possibly hiding in the warren of tunnels Hamas has built under Gaza over the past two decades.
Israeli military confirms death of Hamas leader
The Israeli military has confirmed the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
In a message on X, formerly Twitter, they wrote: “Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar.”
The Israeli military in a separate statement said Sinwar had been killed during a military operation in southern Gaza on Wednesday night.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 18:02
Gallant: Our enemies will fall by the sword
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant has posted a message on X, formerly Twitter, following reports of the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
He cites Leviticus 26, a passage from the Torah, that reads: “You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword.”
In his own words, he adds: “Our enemies cannot hide. We will pursue and eliminate them.”
He attached a photo with red “X” marks over three pictures. One of them is blank. The other two show the faces of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif.
Nasrallah was killed in late September by an Israeli airstrike. Hezbollah is an ally of Hamas that has been firing at Israel since 8 October, the day after the Hamas attack on Israel.
Mohamed Deif, the co-mastermind behind 7 October alongside Sinwar, was killed by an airstrike on southern Gaza in July.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:59
Israel FM confirms Hamas leader’s death – statement
Below we have quotes from Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz confirming the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar
“Mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who was responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers,” Katz said in a statement.
“This is a significant military and moral achievement for Israel and a victory for the entire free world against the axis of evil of radical Islam led by Iran.
“The elimination of Sinwar opens the possibility for the immediate release of the hostages and paves the way for a change that will lead to a new reality in Gaza—without Hamas and without Iranian control.”
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:50
Israeli foreign minister confirms death of Sinwar
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz has confirmed the death of Yahya Sinwar, reports say.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:45
Israeli police examining dental, DNA evidence on Sinwar
Israeli police are examining dental images and DNA evidence to determine whether Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in Gaza, the police and military said In a joint statement on Thursday.
“As of now, one of the multiple necessary assessments has been completed for absolute confirmation. Dental images have been submitted to the police forensics lab, and DNA testing is currently in progress,” the police and military said in a joint statement.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:43
Hamas sources say indications suggest that Sinwar has been killed
Hamas sources have said to Reuters that indications from Gaza suggest that the group’s leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed in an Israeli operation.
There has, however, been no official comment from Hamas.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:30
Photo allegedly showing body of Sinwar circulating online
A photo reportedly showing the body of suspected dead Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is circulating on social media.
The Independent could not verify the photo – and reports of Sinwar’s death remain unconfirmed – but the body in the image bears resemblance to the Hamas leader.
For example, there is a mark near his left eye that is similar to the mole Sinwar is known to have in that area of his face.
The image is extremely graphic, showing a body half-buried under rubble with a severe head injury. The man is wearing a military vest and is surrounded by what appears to be Israeli soldiers.
We have decided not to show this image.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:17
Here we have some pictures of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is suspected dead
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:06
Hunger experts say the risk of famine in Gaza remains high
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:01
Healey: I will not mourn the death of Sinwar
UK defence secretary John Healey has said he is awaiting confirmation of the potential death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar but has added that he “will not mourn” the man’s death.
“I for one, will not mourn the death of a terror leader like Sinwar – someone who was responsible for the terror attack on October 7th,” he said.
Healey says he and the government are conscious that it “triggered not just the darkest, deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Second World War, but that it’s triggered more than a year of conflict and an intolerable level of civilian Palestinian casualties”.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 16:50