Israeli channels are reporting that the Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau as well as its Military Wing in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, has been killed.
In a post on its official X account on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that “…3 terrorists were eliminated” during IDF operations in Gaza.
“… The IDF and ISA are checking the possibility that one of the terrorists was Yahya Sinwar. At this stage, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed.
“In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of the presence of hostages in the area. The forces that are operating in the area are continuing to operate with the required caution,” the post read.
Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, followed up the IDF post minutes later with a cryptic post that read “And chase the enemy,” citing the Bible verse Leviticus 26 and ending it with “We will reach every terrorist – and eliminate him.”
It is being reported that the Hamas leader was killed Thursday morning in Southern Gaza by Israeli soldiers on patrol, who had observed several armed Hamas members hiding inside a nearby building.
An Israeli tank was said to have fired a shell into the building where suspected Hamas members were hiding. The body of Mr Sinwar was said to have been found under the rubble during a search.
Several channels are now confirming the death of Mr Sinwar after initial DNA testing determined that the body recovered from the rubble of a building shelled by Israeli forces near the city of Rafah in Southern Gaza as being that of Mr Sinwar.