Israeli forces have reportedly killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza, marking a significant development in the ongoing conflict against the radical Islamic terror group.
Sinwar, a key architect of the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, was discovered by Israeli troops during an operation in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the killing as a turning point, declaring, “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza. This is the start of the day after Hamas.”
He urged remaining Hamas terrorists to surrender and release the approximately 100 civilian hostages still held in Gaza.
The Israeli military released footage showing Sinwar’s gruesome final moments.
In a room wrecked by shelling, a man is cowering in a chair, his face covered with a cloth to hide his identity. The video showed the man, with one wounded hand, throwing a stick at the drone.
An Israeli tank, confirming the enemy combatant, then fired an additional shell at the building, causing it to collapse and killing Sinwar.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesperson, stated that Sinwar was found with a bulletproof vest, grenades, a rifle, 40,000 shekels ($10,707), and a U.N. identification badge.
Take a look (WARNING: THIS FOOTAGE IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC) —
Yahya Sinwar – caked in dust, missing his right hand, cowering in a chair in a bombed out building – desperately tries to throw a stick at a drone filming him.
A fittingly pathetic end for a disgusting terrorist.
Let Putin, Khamenei, Xi and Kim Jong Un, see and fear this pic.twitter.com/OhJcvoF5GW
— Drew Pavlou π¦πΊπΊπΈπΊπ¦ (@DrewPavlou) October 17, 2024
The Israeli military released footage showing the moment a tank shell fired on the building where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed. pic.twitter.com/9pDfwFEplD
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 18, 2024
This is how Yahya Sinwar, the Hamxs chief who orchestrated the October 7th attack, looked after he was ended by the IDF.
Justice served. pic.twitter.com/6XHdOIMSl6
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) October 17, 2024
U.S. President Joe Biden suggested that Sinwar’s death could open the way for “a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
The conflict’s end remains uncertain, with Netanyahu vowing to continue fighting until all hostages are freed and Hamas is unable to rearm.
While Sinwar’s death is a significant blow to Hamas, the group has shown resilience to past losses of leaders.
The conflict has recently expanded, with Israel intensifying operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon after crippling that radical Islamic terror groups leadership.