Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar dead, killed by IDF soldiers in Gaza firefight

Hamas top leader Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the Oct. 7 invasion and massacre in southern Israel last year, was killed by IDF soldiers during a chance encounter in the town of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF confirmed Thursday evening.

Following initial reports and speculation in the early afternoon, Israeli media announced that cabinet ministers were informed of Sinwar's confirmed death after DNA tests were conducted on his body.

The first official statement affirming his death came from Foreign Minister Israel Katz, in the form of a message sent to his colleagues around the world that was cited by Israeli media.

"The arch-murderer Yahya Sinwar, who is responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers. This is a great military and moral achievement for Israel and a victory for the entire free world against the evil axis of extreme Islam led by Iran," the message read.

Shortly after, the IDF and the Shin Bet confirmed the arch-terrorist's death in an official statement.

"Dozens of actions carried out by the IDF and the Shin Bet in the last year, and in the last few weeks in the area where he was killed, reduced the area of ​​activity of Yahya Sinwar, who was pursued by the forces, and led to his death," the military wrote.

"In recent weeks, IDF and Shin Bet forces under the leadership of the Southern Command, including the 162nd and the Gaza Divisions, have been operating in the south of the Gaza Strip, based on intelligence from the Shin Bet and IDF intel, which pointed to areas where senior Hamas officials were suspected of being."

"A force of the 828th (Bislah) Brigade, which operated in the area, identified and eliminated three terrorists. After completing the process of identifying the body, it can now be confirmed that he was eliminated."

The IDF told families of hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza that none of the hostages were harmed in the firefight that resulted in Sinwar's death, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

The first official hint that Sinwar had been killed had come from Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. “'You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword.' – Leviticus 26. Our enemies cannot hide. We will pursue and eliminate them,” Gallant wrote on 𝕏.

“You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword.” - Leviticus 26

Our enemies cannot hide. We will pursue and eliminate them. pic.twitter.com/FDJ7obPIM7

— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) October 17, 2024

The defense minister later released a longer statement, stressing that it was Sinwar "who planned and carried out October 7, when so many innocent Israelis were murdered - children, women and old people."

Gallant noted that he "ended his life beaten, persecuted, fleeing for his life, not in command of his organization and only caring for himself."

Turning to Israel's enemies, Gallant vowed the IDF "will reach anyone who tries to harm the citizens of Israel or the security forces and will settle accounts with him."

"The elimination of Yahya Sinwar is a clear message to all the families of the fallen, to all the families of the hostages - we are doing everything to harm those who harmed your loved ones and free the abducted and return them to their families."

Gallant also sent a message to the people of Gaza: "The man who brought disaster over the Gaza Strip, from whose murderous actions you suffer - the end of this man has come. This is the time to come out, release the hostages, raise your hands, surrender."

The firefight that likely killed Sinwar took place during a chance encounter as part of a routine IDF operation above ground and not in a tunnel, Army Radio reported.

Late on Wednesday, Israeli soldiers spotted several Hamas terrorists entering a building in the area of Rafah, near the Philadelphi Corridor.

They then ordered a tank strike against it, which partially collapsed the building, which was heavily booby-trapped. According to Kan News, suspicions that Sinwar was killed first arose when IDF soldiers inspected the damage with a drone.

Only later did the soldiers arrive and inspect the bodies in person, realizing the close physical resemblance to Sinwar of one of the three bodies found in the half-destroyed building.

The identity of the two other terrorists who were killed has not yet been confirmed. A large amount of Israeli cash and multiple passports were discovered on their bodies.

Pictures ostensibly taken at the scene and circulated on social media showed the body of Sinwar with large head wounds, half buried under the rubble. In one image, several Israeli soldiers are seen standing around the body.