In a fresh development amongst the atmosphere of war in the Middle East, the Israeli military on Thursday said it is looking into the possibility of the death of top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a military operation in Gaza. It has been reported that authorities were conducting DNA tests on a body to determine if it is him.
According to the official statement issued by the Isarel Defence Forces (IDF), three militants were killed during operations in Gaza, without elaborating. It said the identities of the three were so far not confirmed, but it was “checking the possibility” that one of the three was Sinwar.
“During IDF operations in Gaza, 3 terrorists were eliminated. The IDF and ISA are checking the possibility that one of the terrorists was Yahya Sinwar. At this stage, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed. In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of the presence of hostages in the area. The forces that are operating in the area are continuing to operate with the required caution,” IDF said on X.
As per reports, US President Joe Biden has also been briefed on Israel's investigation and the officials of both the nations have been in close contact throughout Thursday.
The possibility of Sinwar's death emerged as Israeli forces continued a more than week-old major air and ground assault in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza.
Who is Yahya Sinwar?
Known as one of the chief architects of Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 alongside Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’s armed wing, Sinwar is believed to have orchestrated the October 7 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis.
Sinwar was named the Hamas chief following the assassination of leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital Tehran. Sinwar was reportedly selected by Hamas' 50-strong Shura Council. He is seen as a hard-liner with closer ties to Hamas' armed wing than his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh.
The1962-born leader is considered one of the early members of the Gaza-based militant outfit Hamas when it was founded in 1987. Earlier, Sinwar spearheaded the militant group’s security branch.
Under the charges of abduction and killing, Israel apprehended Sinwar in the late 1980s. During his imprisonment, he organized protests for better prison conditions while studying Hebrew and Israeli society.
In 2011, Sinwar was released as part of a prisoner exchange for an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas.
