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Israel confirms death of Hamas leader in Gaza

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Friday, October 18, 2024

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File photo of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar at 2013.
Image: بلال الدويك .

On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, which occurred during a military operation in Rafah, Gaza Strip on October 16.

According to IDF Spokesman, Daniel Hagari, a force from the Bislamah Brigade detected the movement of three individuals in the Tel a-Sultan area of Rafah and opened fire. Hagari stated, "He was fleeing from house to house, we identified him as a terrorist, we closed in professionally and eliminated him." Sinwar, who was among the three, was injured during the exchange. He separated from the other two men, fled to another building, and attempted to treat his wounded hand. IDF forces deployed a drone to the second floor of the building where Sinwar was hiding and found him with his face bandaged, throwing an object towards the drone. A tank then fired shells at the building, killing Sinwar. During the subsequent clearing operation, forces recognized Sinwar as a wanted Hamas leader, whom the IDF held responsible for the surprise attack on Israel on October 7. The other two men with Sinwar were also killed in the firefight. The IDF described the encounter as random and not preplanned.

To formally identify the body, investigators who had previously questioned Sinwar during his detention in Israel, as well as a dentist, were called in. DNA and fingerprint tests were also conducted, as the IDF had Sinwar's records from his time in prison. Unverified images circulating on social media allegedly showed Sinwar's body. Israeli officials then informed the political security cabinet of Sinwar's apparent death. On October 17, the IDF reported a "high probability" that Sinwar had been killed in Rafah. After testing, an official confirmation was given, and around 20:00, the Israel Police forensic laboratory officially confirmed Sinwar's death.

The United States congratulated Israel for neutralizing Sinwar, with President Joe Biden comparing the assassination to the killing of Osama bin Laden. "This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world," Biden declared. He revealed that shortly after the October 7 attacks, he had ordered Special Operations personnel and intelligence professionals to work closely with their Israeli counterparts to help locate and track Sinwar and other Hamas leaders hiding in Gaza. France and Canada also welcomed Sinwar's death, noting that he was responsible for atrocities committed during the October 7 attack in Israeli territory.

Initially, the Hamas-affiliated news agency Gaza Now denied Sinwar's death, publishing a warning that the news was "completely false" and an attempt by Israel to gather intelligence, similar to previous claims about the death of Hamas leader Muhammad al-Deif. However, on October 18, Hamas official Basem Naim confirmed Sinwar's death, stating that "Hamas becomes stronger and more popular with each elimination of its leaders. It hurts to lose people, especially sole leaders like Yahya Sinwar, but we are sure that in the end we will win." Naim called Sinwar "a continuation of the caravan of great martyrs following in the footsteps of the founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin," adding that "Hamas is advancing towards the establishment of the Palestinian state on the entire Palestinian soil with Jerusalem as its capital".

Iranian president mourns Sinwar's death, Masoud Pezeshkian said “It equally painful and heartbreaking for freedom lovers around the world, especially the brave people of Palestine. The struggle against aggression and the fight to restore freedom and liberation to the rightful owners of the occupied lands is a great movement and a noble cause. It will not end by the assassination or elimination of heroes in this battle.”


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