The Israel Defense Force (IDF) killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, while battling fighters on the streets in Gaza on October 16. Israel sought Sinwar for orchestrating the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attack in southern Israel, along with other acts of terrorism.
The IDF seems to have killed Sinwar incidentally during combat operations rather than explicitly targeting him, according to press reports from Israel. IDF troops were battling Hamas and called in a strike on a building that killed three Hamas fighters. Israeli soldiers later entered the structure and discovered a body that appeared to be Sinwar. Forensic analysis taken from the scene positively identified his remains.
“The IDF and ISA confirm that after a year-long pursuit, yesterday (Wednesday), October 16, 2024, IDF soldiers from the Southern Command eliminated Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip,” said the IDF in a statement.
Sinwar’s reign was short-lived. He served as Hamas’s leader for only two and a half months before his death. Hamas named Sinwar to lead the terror organization on August 6 after the Israelis killed his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, on July 31 in Tehran, Iran, just hours after Iran’s new president was sworn in.
Sinwar’s history with Hamas and Israel
Sinwar had a lengthy tenure with Hamas before masterminding the October 7, 2023 attack led by the group, in which terrorists killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages.
Not long after Ahmed Yassin founded Hamas in 1987, Sinwar joined the group and established the organization’s internal security branch, which rooted out and executed Palestinians who cooperated with Israeli security forces. The Israelis captured Sinwar in 1988 and convicted him of abducting and subsequently executing two Israeli soldiers, as well as murdering four Palestinians accused of working with Israeli intelligence. He was released from prison along with more than 1,000 Palestinians for the return of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. In 2015, the US State Department listed Sinwar as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
The IDF and the Israeli intelligence services have methodically targeted Hamas’s top and mid-level leaders since the October 7 terrorist attack. In addition to Haniyeh and Sinwar, the IDF killed Mohammed Deif, the head of Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military branch, and Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade, on July 13, 2024. The IDF and Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, killed Marwan Issa, Deif’s deputy, on March 11, 2011. Additionally, Israel has eliminated a significant number of Hamas brigade commanders and other military leaders since October 7, 2023.
The death of Sinwar and numerous other political and military leaders, particularly in Gaza, has left a void in Hamas’ leadership. Possible successors to Sinwar include but are not limited to Khaled Mashal, Khalil al-Hayya, and Mahmoud al-Zahar. Further, while Israeli operations have devastated Hamas’ leadership in Gaza, some senior members remain active in Gaza. Muhammed Sinwar (Yahya’s brother), Izz al-Din al-Hadad (Gaza Brigade commander), and Muhammed Shabana (Rafah Brigade commander) are key figures Israel continues to search for.
