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According to Ynet, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) neutralized Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Wednesday during a high-risk operation in Rafah. Sinwar, one of the masterminds behind the deadly October 7 attack, was killed after the building he was hiding in collapsed, following intense Israeli military strikes.
The operation began when soldiers from the IDF’s 450th Battalion detected unusual movements in a building, leading them to track Sinwar and two other militants attempting to escape. The group tried to use blankets for cover as they moved between buildings. In response, the IDF opened fire, forcing Sinwar to seek shelter in another building. He retreated to the second floor just as Israeli forces targeted the structure with a tank shell.
As the IDF’s Bislach unit swept through the area, Sinwar desperately tried to avoid capture, reportedly using a stick to try and take down a drone deployed by the IDF. However, the building ultimately collapsed on top of him. His body was found the following day. “We had been aware of Sinwar’s likely location for some time, despite Hamas’s efforts to conceal him,” an IDF official commented.
Sinwar’s death is considered a significant loss for Hamas, as he played a key role in orchestrating attacks and staying hidden within Gaza’s tunnel network. The IDF is continuing to investigate the identities of the two militants who were with him during the incident. One IDF soldier was seriously injured during the operation and is currently recovering in intensive care.
In a public statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, “The man responsible for the worst massacre our people have faced since the Holocaust has been eliminated. We have avenged him.”
