Israel Reports Assassination of Hamas Leader Yahya Al Sinwar

The Israeli Army Radio announced today, Thursday October 17th, that Yahya Al Sinwar, the head of Hamas' political bureau, may have been ‘eliminated’ during a military operation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army had initially stated that three individuals were killed during the operation, but their identities remain unconfirmed. The Israeli Occupation Forces and General Security Service are currently investigating whether one of the deceased is Al Sinwar.

The operation took place in a building that was partially destroyed by Israeli forces, where the bodies were found. According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, one of the individuals bore a resemblance to Al Sinwar, and images of the body have since been circulated.

The bodies were first inspected using drones, but their identities will only be confirmed through DNA testing, with results expected in the coming hours. Despite the preliminary findings, the Israeli army has not yet provided a definitive statement on whether Al Sinwar was among the dead.

Shortly after the announcement, senior Israeli officials expressed high confidence that Sinwar had been killed, citing significant ground evidence. A government official emphasised that there is "a very high probability" that Al Sinwar has been eliminated.

As of yet, Hamas has not issued any comment in response to the Israeli reports, neither confirming nor denying the claims.