The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on 17 October announced that it had eliminated Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in a targeted ground operation in Rafah in southern Gaza. Sinwar was among the three Hamas militants killed in the operation, with his identity being confirmed with the help of a DNA test using Sinwar’s sample from his time in imprisonment in Israel.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated, “The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was eliminated by IDF soldiers.” The military further confirmed that after a year-long pursuit, soldiers successfully eliminated Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, during the operation in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
Intelligence services had been searching for Sinwar for months and had been gradually restricting the area where he could operate, the military said on Thursday, after dental records, fingerprints and DNA testing provided final confirmation of Sinwar’s death.
“The dozens of operations carried out by the IDF and the ISA over the last year, and in recent weeks in the area where he was eliminated, restricted Yahya Sinwar’s operational movement as he was pursued by the forces and led to his elimination,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
On Thursday, the military released footage from a mini drone that it said showed Sinwar, badly wounded in the hand, sitting on a chair, his face covered in a scarf. The film shows him attempting to throw a stick at the drone, in a futile effort to knock it down.
Raw footage of Yahya Sinwar’s last moments: pic.twitter.com/GJGDlu7bie
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) October 17, 2024
At this stage, Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said, Sinwar was only identified as a fighter, but troops entered and found him with a weapon, a flak jacket and 40,000 shekels (US$10,731.63).
“He tried to escape and our forces eliminated him,” he told reporters in a televised briefing.
Hamas has not yet confirmed his death.
Israel has accused Sinwar of orchestrating the attack on October 7, which is considered the deadliest in Israeli history. Since the beginning of the Gaza war, Israeli forces have been actively pursuing him. Sinwar ascended through the ranks of the Palestinian group, first becoming its leader in Gaza and later its overall head following the killing of political chief Ismail Haniyeh in July.
US President Joe Biden on Thursday hailed Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as a “good day” for the world, saying it also removed a key obstacle to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.
Israeli PM Netanyahu, speaking in Jerusalem just after the death was confirmed, said Sinwar’s death offered the chance of peace in the Middle East but warned that the war in Gaza was not over and Israel would continue until its hostages were returned.
Prime Minister Netanyahu:
“One year ago, Yahya Sinwar, the terrorist chief of Hamas, launched the October 7th massacre against Israel.
It was the bloodiest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. It was the worst attack on the Jewish state since the founding of Israel. pic.twitter.com/U7V2aHd8OY
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 17, 2024
“Today we have settled the score. Today evil has been dealt a blow but our task has still not been completed,” Netanyahu said in a recorded video statement. “To the dear hostage families, I say: this is an important moment in the war. We will continue full force until all your loved ones, our loved ones, are home.”
Team BharatShakti (With inputs from Reuters)
