The Israeli military claims that they killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, on October 16, 2024.
The Israeli military confirmed his death after initially reporting it was “highly likely” they had killed him.
Sinwar had been a key figure in the Palestinian resistance movement and was considered a “martyr” by Iran’s mission to the United Nations.
Iran’s mission to the UN praised Sinwar, saying, “When Muslims look up to the Martyr Sinwar standing on the battlefield – in combat attire and out in the open, not in a hideout, facing the enemy – the spirit of resistance will be strengthened.”
Sinwar took control of Hamas after Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in July and maintained military pressure in Gaza despite Israeli assaults. Israeli officials considered him a mastermind behind the October 7 attack on Israel, alongside Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa.
The Israeli military had been targeting Sinwar throughout their Gaza campaign, with previous claims of his capture or death proven false.
In February, they shared images of Sinwar in a tunnel complex and claimed to have taken his family members and other Hamas leaders captive for interrogation.
Sinwar, along with Haniyeh and Deif, was wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Now, with their deaths, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant remain on the ICC charge sheet.
Born in 1962 in a refugee camp, Sinwar’s family was displaced during the 1948 Nakba. He was arrested multiple times by Israeli authorities for “Islamic activities” and eventually helped establish Hamas’s internal security organization. Sinwar spent 22 years in prison, where he learned Hebrew and became a leader among prisoners.
Released in 2011 as part of a prisoner swap, Sinwar was considered the most senior and prominent of those released. His younger brother, Mohammed Sinwar, is also a Hamas commander, suspected of planning the cross-border raid that captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Aljazeera/NGG
