Hamas leader killed

Published 17 October 2024 at 16.33

Foreign. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are currently working to confirm that one of the three people killed in a battle in Gaza is Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be primarily responsible for the October 7 attack.

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A senior Israeli official says there is a “high probability” that a body found at the site belongs to Sinwar, the Times of Israel reports.

The battle took place on Wednesday when Israeli soldiers opened fire on a group of fighters on the ground floor of a building in Gaza. When the soldiers later entered the building, they discovered that one of the dead appeared to be Sinwar.

The body has now been taken for DNA analysis and will also undergo dental and fingerprint tests. Israel has access to Sinwar's fingerprints and dental records from his time in Israeli prison.

Yahya Sinwar, who has been the leader of Hamas in Gaza since 2017, is believed to have played a central role in planning the October 7 attack, which triggered the ongoing war.

In the past, there have been reports that Sinwar is hiding among the hostages. There has also been speculation that he could have already been killed in an earlier Israeli airstrike, as there has been silence from his side in recent weeks.

Sinwar was released in 2011 in exchange for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after having served 23 years in prison for the murder of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians whom he suspected of collaborating with Israel. As the leader of Hamas, he has continued to be a key figure in the organization's military and political activities.

A definitive confirmation of Sinwar's death is expected from the IDF within hours.