Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas, killed by Israeli forces In Gaza

Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, has been killed by Israeli forces in southern Gaza, according to Israeli authorities. Sinwar, who had led the group in Gaza since 2017, was identified by Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom as the key figure behind the 7 October attacks, during which Hamas gunmen killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages.



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Sinwar's death is not the conclusion but rather the "beginning of the end" of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.


The Israeli military reported that Yahya Sinwar was one of three militants killed on Wednesday in Rafah, located in the southern part of Gaza. The military noted that there were no signs of hostages at the location, despite earlier claims that Sinwar might use Israeli hostages as a shield.

According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari, Israeli soldiers spotted three gunmen moving from house to house. When they came under fire, the militants separated, with Sinwar entering a building alone. A drone later spotted him sitting in a chair, at which point he threw a piece of wood at it. Soldiers then entered the building and found Sinwar equipped with a vest, a gun, and 40,000 shekels (£8,240), Hagari stated.

Lt. Col. Hertzi Halevi, chief of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), stated, "We said we would get to him, and we did. The world is now better off without him." Confirmation of Yahya Sinwar's death was delayed for several hours while Israeli authorities compared dental records and fingerprints.

Israel had access to his genetic data from his time spent in an Israeli prison. Earlier, graphic images circulating online showed a body resembling Sinwar lying in rubble with a severe head injury.

At that time, the IDF said it was possible Sinwar had been killed but refrained from confirming his death until they were certain, as they had been pursuing him for over a year.

Netanyahu praised the killing of Sinwar, stating, "While this is not the end of the war in Gaza, it's the beginning of the end."


He emphasized that the conflict could end "tomorrow" if Hamas disarms and releases the remaining hostages held in Gaza. Earlier, speaking to the families of the hostages, Netanyahu vowed that Israel would "continue with all our strength until we bring every one of your loved ones home, as they are our loved ones too."