Israel declares Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar dead

The IDF says it is investigating the possibility that one of the three terrorists its forces killed in a recent battle in Gaza was Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

“At this time, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed,” the Israeli Army says in a statement. “In the building where the terrorists were eliminated there were no indications of the presence of hostages in the area,” says the Israeli Army text.

“The IDF and Shin Bet forces operating in the area continue to act under necessary caution,” the Army added.

DNA tests

Israeli Army Radio explained that visual evidence suggests that one of the victims is Sinwar and states that DNA analysis is being carried out. Israel has genetic samples of Sinwar from his time in an Israeli prison.

According to some reports, the body was returned to inside Israel. He is now in Jerusalem to perform DNA tests to confirm the identity of that fighter. There are strong indications, at least in the Israeli media, that they are almost certain it is Yahya Sinwar, but they are waiting for fingerprint tests to confirm the identity.

Sinwar, 61, became the leader of Hamas in Gaza in 2017. He was re-elected in March 2021 for a second term that ended next year. After the murder of Ismail Haniyaleader of Hamas, in July in Tehran, Sinwar took the position of top leader of the Islamist group. With his arrival, the military branch began to have more weight in Hamas, since he is one of the founders of the Ezzeldin al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the organization.

Sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes such as the murder of Palestinians who collaborated with the Israelis, Sinwar was released in 2011 after 20 years in prison.