Israel assures killing of Hamas chief
Date
10/20/2024 5:11:52 AM
(MENAFN) Israel has officially confirmed the death of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza. The announcement came from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday, who stated they were investigating whether Sinwar was among the militants killed during a recent skirmish in an undisclosed location. The IDF took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to declare, “Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar.”
Foreign Minister Israel Katz also communicated Sinwar’s death to several international colleagues, solidifying the announcement through an official statement. Sinwar, 62, has been the Political head of Hamas in Gaza since early 2017 and assumed full leadership of the organization in August after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
He has been regarded as a key architect of the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which instigated the current conflict. Alongside Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’s military wing, the Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades, Sinwar’s role has been pivotal in orchestrating actions against Israel. While Israel claims to have killed Deif in an airstrike earlier this year, Hamas has denied these reports.
Graphic and unverified images circulating on social media purportedly show Sinwar’s body partially buried in debris, exhibiting signs of multiple blast injuries and an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Media reports indicate that his body has been taken for DNA testing by the military to confirm his identity.
This development comes amid an ongoing war declared by Israel against Hamas following the October 7 attack, which resulted in approximately 1,100 deaths and around 250 kidnappings in southern Israel. The conflict has led to extensive military operations, including heavy artillery and air strikes, causing widespread destruction in Gaza. Local health authorities report that around 42,000 people, primarily women and children, have been killed in the Palestinian territory since the outbreak of hostilities.
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