Israel announced on Thursday that its forces killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, in a military operation in southern Gaza.
This marks a significant blow to Hamas, which has been engaged in conflict with Israel since the October 7 attacks in 2023. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) declared, “Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar,” in a post on X, saying that this came after a year-long pursuit.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz referred to Sinwar as a "mass murderer" responsible for the October 7 attacks. While Israel is verifying the details of his death, Hamas has not confirmed it.
Sinwar took over leadership of Hamas after the killing of former political chief Ismail Haniyeh in July.
Israel's military attacks in Gaza have resulted in over 42,000 Palestinian deaths, including many civilians. This operation follows Israel's recent claim of assassinating Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the country would continue to target “every terrorist.” U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation and is being updated on developments.
Since the October 7 attacks, which killed over 1,200 people in Israel, the conflict has escalated significantly, with Israel expanding its military operations into Lebanon in response to attacks from Hezbollah. Concerns are rising that this multi-front conflict could escalate into a broader regional war.