Mohammad Sinwar was one of the top leaders of Hamas in Gaza. He rose to power in the group last year after his older brother, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by Israel. Yahya was considered the mastermind of the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Israel Claims Sinwar Has Been Killed
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Mohammad Sinwar has been “eliminated.” He made this announcement during a speech in the Israeli parliament. Netanyahu also listed other senior Hamas leaders who had been killed by Israel over the past 20 months, including Sinwar’s brother, Yahya Sinwar.
Targeted Strike on Gaza Hospital
Earlier this month, the Israeli military targeted a hospital in southern Gaza, where they believed Mohammad Sinwar was hiding. On May 21, Netanyahu had said it was likely Sinwar was killed in that strike. Now, he has confirmed it officially, although Hamas has not yet confirmed Sinwar’s death.
“Turning Point” in War Against Hamas
In his speech, Netanyahu said,“In the last two days, we have made a dramatic turn towards the complete defeat of Hamas.”
He also said Israel is now taking control of food distribution in Gaza, referring to a new aid system led by a US-backed group.
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War Background: How It Started
The current war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters launched a surprise attack from Gaza into southern Israel. Around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in that attack.
More than 250 people were taken hostage into Gaza.
Human Cost of the War
Since the war began, Israel has carried out massive air and ground operations across Gaza.
- According to Gaza health officials, over 53,000 people have been killed, many of them civilians.
- More than 2 million Palestinians have been forced to leave their homes.
While Gaza officials say most of the dead are civilians, Israel claims it has killed tens of thousands of Hamas fighters but has not provided specific proof to back this claim.
Hamas Leadership and Losses
Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir recently stated that Hamas has lost major parts of its military strength, including its command-and-control centres.
After Yahya Sinwar’s death, Mohammad Sinwar became one of the top commanders in Hamas. Yahya himself was named overall leader of Hamas after Israel killed former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.
Source: TBS
