Images confirm death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar

On Thursday, October 17, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the death of Yahya Sinwar, one of the most wanted Hamas leaders, during an intense confrontation in the Gaza Strip. The operation, which included a shootout and a tank attack, ended the life of the architect of the October 7 attack against Israel, an event that triggered the current conflict in the region.

The IDF released images showing Sinwar's body partially covered by debris after the destruction of the building where he was taking refuge. In one of the photos, the Hamas leader is identified despite the damage to his face, while another image captures Israeli soldiers inspecting the remains of the site, surrounded by rubble.

According to military sources, the operation began as a reconnaissance mission, during which an IDF patrol encountered Hamas fighters, sparking an intense exchange of fire. In response, Israeli forces quickly deployed a tank that attacked the building in which Hamas members had barricaded themselves, destroying the structure completely. After the ceasefire, soldiers inspected the rubble and found Sinwar's body.

Born in Khan Younis in 1962, Yahya Sinwar became a central figure in Hamas from an early age. In 1988, he founded Hamas' internal security division, Al Majd, and was known for his loyalty to the group's founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Sinwar was released in 2011 after spending 22 years in prison, as part of a prisoner exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

In August 2023, he assumed leadership of Hamas' political bureau, following the death of Ismail Haniyeh in an attack attributed to Israel in Tehran. Sinwar was identified as the main person responsible for the attack on October 7, 2023, which left hundreds dead in Israel and marked the start of the war in Gaza. Since then, his whereabouts were uncertain, and he was rumored to be hiding in the tunnels in Gaza.

Sinwar's death represents a significant blow to Hamas, as Israeli authorities promise to reveal more details of the operation in the coming hours.