The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released many clips of before & after videos & pictures showing how Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was spotted, injured, and killed and his dead body lying amongst rubbles.
The Israeli military said it caught three militants during one of its raids moving amongst buildings – Yahya Sinwar was disguised as one of them and was not known at the time. It was reported that two were moving as though they were clearing a pathway for the third.
The IDF opened fire on the three and had them run in different directions. Yahya Sinwar wearing a kufiyyeh escaped and ran into an apartment which was further bombed by a tank and grenades. A drone which was then sent in to view inside the apartment captured a badly injured Sinwar, his arm badly injured, as he sat on a chair.
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With his face still masked and his entire body covered with dust, Sinwar threw a piece of debris to the humming drone that was watching him. The drone left and having given out his exact location, a tank shelled the spot and killed him.
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The team arrived later and unveiled the militant only to discover it was the top wanted Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Though the news of his killing went public, the IDF took its time to confirm it was actually him.
Gruesome photos and videos of the dead body of Yahya Sinwar soon flooded the internet. A large open wound on his head had many suspect that he might have been killed by a sniper shot. Items recovered on him include a misbaha, bulletproof vest, grenades, and 40,000 shekels ($10,707).
Sinwar, who was identified through forensic analysis including dental records and DNA testing, had been a primary target as he was the mastermind behind the October 7 attack on Israel. As the IDF stated, he was “responsible for the murder and abduction of many Israelis” during that assault, which led to the deaths of over 1,200 individuals and the kidnapping of more than 250 hostages.
His elimination comes after the recent deaths of other high-ranking Hamas leaders. Israel has targeted and eliminated several key figures within the organization, including their political head, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran two months ago, and Mohammed Deif, the military commander.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog celebrated the operation’s success, stating that Yahya Sinwar was “responsible for heinous acts of terrorism against Israeli civilians, citizens of other countries, and the murder of thousands of innocent people.” Herzog also mentioned that Sinwar’s actions were focused on causing terror, bloodshed, and destabilizing the Middle East.
The operation that led to Yahya Sinwar’s death was particularly challenging due to his evasive tactics. The Jerusalem Post reported that he was assumed to be hiding in Hamas tunnels across Gaza, frequently changing locations and relying on messengers instead of using communication devices.
The IDF confirmed that there were “no signs of the presence of hostages in the area,” addressing concerns about Sinwar’s reported use of captives as human shields.
Meanwhile, this development could significantly impact the ongoing ceasefire negotiations. With U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently stating that a ceasefire deal was nearly complete, Yahya Sinwar’s death could either accelerate peace efforts or potentially complicate them.
As BBC Security correspondent Frank Gardner notes, it could be “an opportunity to finally complete that deal and bring Israel’s hostages home” or risk “driving angry Hamas members further away than ever from any kind of compromise.”
Additionally, the immediate challenge remains the fate of the remaining hostages. As President Herzog wrote on X, “Now, more than ever, we must act in every way possible to bring back the 101 hostages who are still being held in horrific conditions by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.” The IDF has confirmed that of these remaining hostages, 48 were killed in captivity, adding urgency to ongoing diplomatic efforts.
