Israeli forces have killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, announced this on Thursday. Sinwar was responsible behind the October 7 attack on Israel, which led to the deaths of 1,200 people. This attack was the worst terrorist event in Israel’s history.

Katz called Sinwar a "master murderer" because he was responsible for many deaths. He said that killing Sinwar was an important win for Israel and for the fight against extreme Islamic terrorism. This is a big setback for Hamas, the group Sinwar led, and an important victory for Israel in their ongoing conflict with Hamas.

The 62-year-old Sinwar had been the leader of Hamas in Gaza since 2017. Following the death of Ismail Haniyeh earlier this year, he assumed the position of head of the group's political bureau. Israeli authorities have been searching for Sinwar for more than a year, saying he was hiding "among the people in Gaza" and in tunnels used by Hamas to avoid being caught.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency spent weeks in southern Gaza trying to limit Sinwar's movements. This effort led to his death on Wednesday. Officials said that Sinwar was killed by chance during a military operation.

 

How were Sinwars killed?

 

An official who knows the details said that a group of reserve soldiers in the Rafah area shot at some armed men while trying to handle an unexploded missile. During the shooting, one man started throwing grenades at the soldiers from a nearby building, so the soldiers fired tank rounds and a missile at him. Even though he was still alive after that, a sniper from the group later shot him.

Later, another group of soldiers found out that the person they killed was Sinwar. The IDF released drone footage showing that Sinwar was in the building. Israeli officials then used dental records and fingerprints to confirm that it was really his body.

Israeli leaders are happy about Sinwar's killing and see it as a big success. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that Sinwar was running away when he died and did not die like a leader. He emphasised that this sends a strong message to Israel's enemies that they will be hunted down without stopping.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sinwar's death was a major step in weakening Hamas, which he believes could lead to a new future for Gaza without the influence of Hamas or Iran. Israeli President Herzog also called for the return of 101 prisoners held in Gaza and said Israel would continue to take steps to protect its citizens.