Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader believed to be the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the ongoing Gaza conflict, may have been killed, according to the Israeli military.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that three terrorists were eliminated during operations in the Gaza Strip. The IDF is currently investigating the possibility that one of these individuals was Sinwar, although the identities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed.
The Israeli military noted that there were no indications of hostages in the area where the operations took place and emphasized the caution exercised by the forces involved. Several security officials, speaking anonymously, informed Israeli media outlets that the bodies had been transported to Israel for DNA testing, with the IDF expressing a "high probability" that one of the deceased was Sinwar.
Israeli media, including Kan Radio, reported that Sinwar's death was likely incidental and not the result of targeted intelligence efforts. The bodies were reportedly found with significant amounts of cash and fake identification documents.
The incident occurred during a ground operation in Rafah, located in southern Gaza, where Israeli troops engaged and killed three militants, subsequently retrieving their bodies. Visual evidence has suggested a strong likelihood that one of the slain individuals was Sinwar, with the IDF possessing DNA samples from his previous incarceration in Israel.
Sinwar, aged 61, has been a primary target for Israeli forces since the October 7 attack. He was born in the Khan Younis refugee camp and has a history of involvement with Hamas, having joined the group at a young age and spending much of his life in and out of Israeli prisons. Notably, he was sentenced to four life terms in 1989 for his role in the abduction and murder of two Israeli soldiers, among others, and was released in a 2011 prisoner swap.
He was elected as Hamas's chief in Gaza in 2017 and has survived multiple assassination attempts by Israeli forces. His potential death could have significant implications for the ongoing conflict and the future of Hamas leadership.