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Israeli forces announced Thursday night that they had killed Yahya Sinwar, Hamas's Gaza leader and mastermind of the October 7 attack on southern Israel, during a firefight in Rafah, southern Gaza. The operation occurred on Wednesday, though Sinwar’s identity was only confirmed later through DNA testing.
Sinwar, who had been moving through tunnels in the area, was not specifically targeted. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) only realized Sinwar was one of three terrorists killed after troops inspected the site Thursday morning. His body was extracted and brought to Israel after testing.
In a joint statement, the IDF and Israel’s Shin Bet security agency said Sinwar’s movement had been severely restricted by ongoing military operations in Gaza. The 162nd and Gaza divisions had focused on areas where Hamas leaders were believed to be hiding, leading to Sinwar’s demise in a clash involving the 828th Bislamach Brigade.
The firefight involved IDF tanks and ground forces engaging three suspected terrorists. Sinwar, who separated from his bodyguards, was eventually cornered in a building. He threw grenades at advancing troops before being killed by tank fire.
IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari confirmed that Israeli forces had not known they were targeting Sinwar during the operation but discovered his identity after securing the scene.
Sinwar, who had been Hamas's Gaza leader since 2017, was the architect of the October 7 invasion, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and resulted in hundreds of hostages being taken to Gaza. He rose to power following the death of former Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in July.
Hamas's attack triggered the current war in Gaza, which has since claimed thousands of lives.
[Information sourced from The Times of Israel]
