Hamas Chief and one of the masterminds behind the deadly October 7 attacks last year, “Yahya Sinwar is dead,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Thursday. Sinwar’s death follows a series of Israeli attacks, including the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others.

Netanyahu said, “Sinwar was killed in Rafah by the brave soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces. While this is not the end of the war in Gaza, it’s the beginning of the end.”

In a statement released hours after the operation, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz informed, “The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who was responsible for the October 7 massacre and atrocities was eliminated by IDF soldiers.”

Amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a post on X, they have successfully eliminated Sinwar.

Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar.

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 17, 2024

Before Katz confirmed his death, IDF said in a brief statement, “During IDF operations in Gaza, 3 terrorists were eliminated. 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.”

Yahya Sinwar quickly rose through the ranks of Hamas, first becoming the organization’s leader in Gaza, then its overall head after the killing of the political chief Ismail Haniyeh in July. Since the start of the Gaza war, he was one of the main targets for Israeli forces.

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