Hamas has confirmed that its leader, Yahya Sinwar, has been killed in combat with Israeli forces in Gaza.
In a televised address on Friday, Khalil Hayya, a senior Hamas official, praised Sinwar’s dedication, describing him as “steadfast, brave, and intrepid.” He noted that Sinwar had “sacrificed his life to the cause of our liberation.”
“Sinwar met his end standing brave, with his head held high, holding his firearm, and firing until the last breath of his life,” Hayya said on Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
“From his early days as a resistance fighter to his time behind Israeli bars, Sinwar remained defiant. After his release in a prisoner swap, he continued to serve our cause with unwavering commitment.”
Hayya also stated that Sinwar’s death, along with the “martyrdom” of previous leaders, would only bolster the resolve and strength of Hamas. However, he added that captives held in Gaza would not be released until Israeli forces halted their attacks and withdrew from the besieged territory.
Meanwhile, Hamas’ military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to continue fighting until “Palestine is liberated.”
“We are prepared to lose soldiers and leaders in this struggle, knowing the price of liberation is high,” the statement read. “We refuse to submit to the enemy, and our fight will not stop until the last Zionist is expelled from Palestine.”
This sentiment was echoed by Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based militant group, which expressed its “deepest condolences” over Sinwar’s death. In a statement, Hezbollah hailed Sinwar as a “martyr” who carried the “torch of leadership” from his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in July.
On Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed Sinwar’s death, stating that he had been killed during a surprise firefight in Rafah, located in southern Gaza. According to Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari, Sinwar and two other militants were spotted moving between homes in an attempt to evade capture.
“Our forces identified three terrorists on the move. Sinwar fled alone into a nearby building, where our drone footage tracked him,” Hagari said in a briefing.
Footage released by the Israeli military showed Sinwar, injured and covered in dust, sitting in an armchair with a traditional scarf over his head. The footage also showed Sinwar throwing an object at the drone before he was shot in the head.
Israeli forces conducted DNA testing, dental examinations, and other forensic tests to confirm Sinwar’s identity.