Israel confirms death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by the Israeli army on Wednesday night. Sinwar's death was confirmed by Israel's foreign minister on Thursday.
"The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, responsible for the October 7 massacre and atrocities, was killed today by Israeli army soldiers," Katz said in a message to a dozen other foreign ministers, quoted by the Times of Israel.
"This is a great military and moral achievement for Israel and a victory for the free world against the axis of radical Islam led by Iran."
Routine patrol
During a routine patrol, Israeli soldiers encountered three armed men and an exchange of fire ensued. One of the bodies was identified as that of Sinwar. It was sent to an Israeli laboratory to see if the body's DNA matched that of the Hamas leader and to compare dental records.
Katz calls the elimination of Sinwar "an opportunity" to immediately release Israeli hostages and create a Gaza no longer under the control of Hamas and Iran. There was no sign of hostages in the building where the men were killed.
Sinwar had led Hamas in Gaza since 2017, and is believed to have masterminded the 7 October massacre that triggered the Gaza war and regional escalation. His elimination was one of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war aims.
© PHOTO MOHAMMED ABED / AFP
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