The Israeli military announced on Thursday that Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas's political bureau, was killed during clashes in southern Gaza on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Israeli army indicated that operations in the area were conducted based on intelligence suggesting the presence of Hamas leaders. The military reported that a unit from Brigade 828 engaged in a firefight with three militants, who were subsequently killed; Sinwar was later identified as one of them.

An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed that the soldiers were unaware of Sinwar’s presence in the building where the shooting occurred in southern Gaza. According to Israeli military radio, the encounter took place in the Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, where Sinwar was reportedly wearing a military vest and was accompanied by another field commander.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, speaking at the Gaza border, stated that "Israel has settled a long-standing account with Sinwar," adding that his death serves as a message to the families of Israeli casualties and hostages that "the army is doing everything for them."

Israeli Narrative Challenged

Al Jazeera correspondent Ilyas Karam reported that leaked images of Sinwar’s body contradicted Israeli claims that he was hiding in an underground tunnel. Karam suggested an investigation would be initiated to identify those responsible for leaking these images.

Israeli military radio confirmed that Sinwar was killed in a confrontation with Israeli soldiers in the Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood, where he was found with another field commander. Hamas has yet to respond to the official announcement from Israel.

Given the secrecy imposed by the Israeli military and political leadership regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Karam speculated that blame would be assigned to the soldiers who leaked the images, potentially leading to internal investigations and disciplinary actions.

Sources indicated that Sinwar was likely killed during clashes on Wednesday, with his body discovered during a sweep of the area by Israeli forces on Thursday. The military stated that Sinwar’s body was found alongside that of another field commander from the Khan Younis Brigade, who had been close to Sinwar since the beginning of the conflict.

The sequence of Events Leading to Sinwar's Death

Israeli military radio detailed the timeline of events leading to Sinwar’s death, which began around 10 AM on Wednesday when a soldier from Battalion 450 spotted movement in a house in Tal Al-Sultan. By 3 PM, three suspicious individuals were observed entering and exiting a building, believed to be Sinwar’s associates attempting to facilitate his escape.

The situation escalated as Sinwar and his group split up, with Sinwar entering one building while his companions entered another. An Israeli tank fired a shell at Sinwar's building, leading to further clashes. A drone was deployed, spotting a masked individual, later identified as Sinwar, who appeared injured and attempted to throw a stick at the drone before the tank fired again.

The following morning, Israeli forces returned to the area and discovered Sinwar’s body, which bore a resemblance to the Hamas leader.

Israel widely regards Sinwar as the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023, Al-Aqsa Flood operation, which resulted in the deaths of over a thousand Israeli soldiers and settlers.