Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Thursday that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, one of the key figures behind the October 7 attacks last year, has been killed, according to the Times of Israel. Netanyahu also directed his aides to notify the families of Israeli hostages about Sinwar’s death.
Earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that three terrorists had been killed during their operations in Gaza, one of whom was Sinwar. In a post on X, the IDF stated: “During IDF operations in Gaza, 3 terrorists were eliminated. The IDF and ISA are checking the possibility that one of the terrorists was Yahya Sinwar.”
This development follows Israel’s recent elimination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon through airstrikes. Additionally, senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh was reportedly killed in Iran, though Israel has not officially confirmed responsibility for the attack.
In recent operations, the IDF also neutralized several other high-ranking Hamas members, including Rawhi Mushtaha, the head of Hamas’ Gaza government, and Sameh al-Siraj, responsible for security within the group’s political wing.
On Tuesday, the IDF reported the deaths of 20 Hamas militants during airstrikes and combat in Jabaliya, and they destroyed a weapons depot in the process. The military emphasized that the operation would persist as long as needed, with a focus on dismantling Hamas’ terror infrastructure.
The IDF also urged civilians in northern Gaza areas, including Beit Hanoun, Jabaliya, and Beit Lahiya, to relocate to a designated humanitarian zone in the south.
