‘How Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed during unplanned operation’

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed the killing of Yahya Sinwar, a key leader of Hamas, during a sudden military operation in Rafah on Wednesday. The confirmation came Thursday evening after hours of speculation.

Israeli authorities, including the IDF, Shin Bet, and Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz, verified Sinwar’s death around 7:45 p.m., using dental and fingerprint records obtained from his previous imprisonment in Israel before 2011.

“We have settled the score with Sinwar, who was responsible for the severe attack we experienced a year ago,” said IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi. He stood alongside Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar and IDF Southern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkleman, highlighting the long series of operations that culminated in Sinwar’s death.

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Halevi explained that the final operation was not based on prior intelligence but was part of an ongoing military effort to track Hamas members across Gaza, particularly in Rafah.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described Sinwar’s final moments as those of a fugitive. “He ended his life in defeat, running and concerned only for his own survival,” Gallant said. He urged the people of Gaza to take this opportunity to release hostages and surrender.

According to military sources, no hostages were harmed in the operation, despite earlier concerns.

In a joint statement earlier on Thursday, the IDF and Shin Bet reported, “During operations in the Gaza Strip, three terrorists were eliminated. There is an ongoing investigation to confirm if one of the targets was Yahya Sinwar.” They confirmed that the site of the operation showed no evidence of hostage presence.

Reports indicate that Sinwar’s body was identified after part of a severed finger was rushed to Israel for verification. His death was confirmed by Division 162, which includes units such as the 828 Bislach Brigade and Battalion 195.

Sinwar had reportedly stayed with six hostages, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Eden Yerushalmi, in tunnels beneath Rafah before they were executed. He then began moving alone, without hostages as human shields.

The Israel Police issued a statement confirming that while some forensic work has been completed, DNA testing is ongoing to finalize the identification.

Sinwar had been heavily involved in orchestrating the October 7 attack, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and more than 250 hostages taken, with 48 confirmed killed in captivity.

Known for hiding in tunnels and relying on messengers to avoid detection, Sinwar’s movements had previously complicated efforts to capture him. Despite conflicting reports of his whereabouts, Israel’s military had tracked him within the tunnel network earlier this year.

Sinwar’s death follows the recent elimination of other key Hamas figures, including Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Mohammed Deif in Gaza.