By Tajudeen Balogun
Hamas Senior Commander, Mohammed Sinwar, has reportedly been killed by Israeli airstrike.
Sinwar, the brother of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was also killed by Israeli forces in October, was widely regarded as a key military figure within the organisation.
His death, which was made public on Wednesday, comes amid an ongoing Israeli campaign to dismantle Hamas’ leadership following the group’s attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has announced Sinwar’s demise.
He made the announcement during a speech to the Knesset, as Israel marked 600 days since the October assault, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
“We changed the face of the Middle East, we pushed the terrorists from our territories, we entered the Gaza Strip with force, we eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists, we eliminated (Mohammad) Deif, (Ismail) Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Sinwar,” Netanyahu boasted before lawmakers.
The New Diplomat gathered that the strike that reportedly killed Sinwar occurred on May 13, targeting the European Hospital in Khan Younis. At the time, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it had hit a Hamas command-and-control centre operating within underground infrastructure beneath the hospital.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported that dozens were killed and injured in the attack.
Initially, Hamas dismissed reports of Sinwar’s death, stating that only the group itself could confirm or deny such claims.
However, Israeli intelligence and sources familiar with the strike had already indicated Sinwar was the intended target.
Mohammed Sinwar was seen by Israeli officials as both a hardline ideologue and an experienced Military leader. He previously commanded Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade until 2016 and had remained underground since the war began.
The IDF claimed in December 2023 to have captured footage of him, travelling through a tunnel in Gaza, and later located what it said was his office in western Khan Younis.
Analysts have warned that while Sinwar’s death is a symbolic and operational setback for Hamas, it is unlikely to hasten the end of the conflict. The loss could also complicate potential negotiations, especially if a new Commander does not quickly emerge within the Gaza Strip.
