Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed in Israeli military operation in Gaza, says Foreign Minister Katz

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, identified as the mastermind of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, has been killed in a military operation carried out by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, officials confirmed Thursday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced Sinwar’s death following hours of operations in Gaza, which also resulted in the killing of two others. “The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7th, was eliminated today by IDF soldiers,” Katz said in a statement released to the media.

Sinwar, one of the founding members of Hamas’s military wing, had been a central figure in coordinating attacks against Israel and was considered one of the most wanted men by Israeli intelligence since the start of the conflict last year. His death marks one of the most significant blows to Hamas leadership since the war began.

Israel’s Defence Ministry said the operation was conducted after months of intelligence work, while Palestinian officials have not yet confirmed the killing. The development is expected to have major implications for ongoing ceasefire talks and the broader security situation in the Middle East.