Top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed, Israel confirms
Israel Foreign Minister Israel Katz addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 26, 2019. (Reuters Photo)
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced Thursday the killing of top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who Israel has accused of masterminding the group’s attack on Oct. 7 last year.
“The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7th, was eliminated today by Israeli army soldiers,” Katz stated in a message to the media.
Additionally, an Israeli army spokesperson officially announced the “elimination” of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
The Israeli military announced Thursday the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by its forces in southern Gaza the previous day.
The Israeli military stated, “Confirms that after a year-long pursuit, yesterday (Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024), Israeli soldiers from the Southern Command eliminated Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip.”
Hamas still silent on the issue
Meanwhile, Hamas has not yet released a statement on the issue.
Israel accuses Yahya Sinwar of masterminding the Oct. 7 attack, the deadliest in its history, and had been hunting him since the onset of the Gaza war. Sinwar ascended through the ranks of Hamas to become its leader in Gaza and later its overall head after the killing of political chief Ismail Haniyeh in July.
The announcement of Sinwar’s death follows Israel’s recent assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and the killing of other Iran-backed militant commanders. Earlier this year, Israel claimed to have killed Mohammed Deif, Hamas’s military chief, although the group has not confirmed this.
With Hamas significantly weakened over a year into the Gaza war, Sinwar’s death could deliver a major blow to the organization
Prior to the confirmation of his death by the Israeli foreign minister, the military briefly stated that three terrorists were eliminated during operations in the Gaza Strip, with suspicions that one of the bodies was Sinwar’s. An Israeli security official indicated that a DNA test was being conducted to confirm the identity.
In response to the ongoing conflict, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant asserted that the country would “reach every terrorist and eliminate them.”
‘War is not over,’ says Netanyahu
Meanwhile, following the announcement from Israeli officials regarding the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reiterated that attacks on the Gaza Strip would continue.
In a video message posted on his social media account, Netanyahu confirmed that Sinwar was killed in an Israeli strike, asserting that Hamas “can no longer govern the Gaza Strip.”
He emphasized that “the war is not over,” indicating that military operations against Gaza would persist. Additionally, Netanyahu addressed the issue of Israeli hostages in Gaza, affirming that efforts to secure their return would continue.
