Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Wednesday (May 28) that the elusive Hamas leader Mohammad Sinwar has been eliminated. Sinwar has long been one of Israel’s top wanted fugitives.
Mohammad Sinwar is the younger brother of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by the Israeli army in southern Gaza last October.
Netanyahu listed the Hamas leaders who have been eliminated by the Israeli military so far during a session in the Israeli parliament on Wednesday, confirming the death of Mohammad Sinwar. He said, “We have eliminated Mohammad Deif, Ismail, Yahya Sinwar, and Mohammad Sinwar.”
He stated, “In the past two days, we have witnessed a dramatic turn towards achieving the goal of completely defeating Hamas.” He also added that Israel has “controlled food distribution,” referring to the new aid distribution system in Gaza.
According to Reuters, after Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israel, Mohammad Sinwar rose to a senior position within Hamas and was later appointed as a leader.
Earlier this month, Israel carried out an airstrike on a hospital in southern Gaza targeting Mohammad Sinwar. Netanyahu had previously suggested on May 21 that Sinwar may have been killed. However, it wasn’t until this Wednesday that he confirmed the death of the Hamas leader.
Netanyahu did not disclose how Mohammad Sinwar died. Hamas has yet to confirm his death. If confirmed, this would once again deal a heavy blow to the top leadership of Hamas.
Hamas officials describe Mohammad as a long-time “ghost” who outsmarted Israeli intelligence for years. Hamas sources say that both Mohammad and his brother Yahya have been targets of Israeli assassination attempts numerous times, including airstrikes and planted bombs.
In 2003, Hamas militants found a bomb on the wall of Mohammad Sinwar’s residence, with the organization accusing it as an assassination attempt by the Israeli intelligence agency.
Hamas sources describe Mohammad Sinwar as known for his clandestine operations, playing a central role in planning and executing the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. His brother Yahya was believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, which ignited the Gaza War.