Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar Photo: Getty Images
On Thursday, the Israeli army announced the possible elimination of one of Hamas’ top leaders, Yahya Sinwar, during an operation in the Gaza Strip. Sinwar, who is considered the architect of a large-scale attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, is Israel’s most wanted enemy. Checks are currently underway to confirm the identity of the dead militants, Reuters reports.
Operation in Rafas: three militants, but who are they?
The operation took place in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Israeli troops killed three militants, who, according to their information, may belong to the top leadership of Hamas. DNA tests are currently being conducted to determine the exact identity of the victims. The Israeli army has DNA samples from Sinwar that were taken while he was still in Israeli custody.
💬 “At this stage, the identities of the terrorists cannot be confirmed,” the army said in an official statement. However, it is already known that there were no Israeli hostages among the dead who could have been in the building during the operation.
Hamas is in no hurry to respond
So far, there has been no official comment from Hamas. Meanwhile, the Al-Majd website, which is affiliated with the group, called on Palestinians not to trust the Israeli media and to wait for official statements from Hamas. The website said that Israel is allegedly deliberately spreading information to demoralise the Palestinian population.
If it’s Sinvar: the significance of possible liquidation
If Yahya Sinwar’s death is confirmed, it will be a significant strategic achievement for Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli army have recently carried out a series of high-profile assassinations of key leaders of their enemies, including recent strikes against Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
The Israeli radio station Army Radio reported that the operation in Rafas was part of a ground operation by Israeli forces. According to preliminary reports, visual evidence suggests that one of the dead may be Sinwar. The final results of DNA tests may confirm or deny this information.
Comments from Israeli officials
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant posted a message on social media with a quote from Leviticus: “Your enemies will fall before you by the sword.” This was accompanied by an image with the crossed-out photos of two recently assassinated leaders: former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in Beirut, and former Hamas military commander Mohammed Daif, killed in August. There is another empty space for a third crossed-out photo, hinting at Sinwar’s likely death.
Who is Yahya Sinwar?
Sinwar was a key figure in the Hamas leadership, and one of the main organisers of the bloody attack on Israel that started the current conflict in October 2023. He is also responsible for a network of underground tunnels used by Hamas for movement and shelter. Israel has long been hunting Sinwar, considering him the chief strategist and architect of the Gaza war.
If his death is confirmed, it will be a significant moral and strategic blow to Hamas and its supporters.
Stay tuned – the situation is developing!
