Hamas Gaza Chief Muhammad Sinwar Killed in Israeli Strike, Confirms Netanyahu

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the leading Hamas leader in Gaza, Muhammad Sinwar, had been killed in a targeted Israeli military assault. His passing represents yet another significant setback for the senior Hamas leadership in the midst of Israel's ongoing campaign in Gaza.

On May 14, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) apparently carried out a precision drone strike that killed Sinwar. In Khan Younis, a recognised Hamas bastion in southern Gaza, the strike was directed for an underground command centre beneath the European Hospital.

Former Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar's younger brother, Muhammad Sinwar, gained notoriety when his brother passed away in October 2024. Yahya Sinwar was killed in an early-war confrontation with Israeli soldiers. He was largely regarded as the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Muhammad Sinwar's passing was confirmed by Prime Minister Netanyahu in a speech to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. He said, "We have eliminated Muhammad Sinwar," in Hebrew. We defeated Mohammed Deif, Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and now Muhammad Sinwar.

"We have reached a dramatic milestone towards the complete defeat of Hamas in the past two days," he continued, adding that recent events represent a key turning point in Israel's efforts to dismantle the organisation.

As part of what he called efforts to stabilise the region after the battle, Netanyahu also mentioned that Israel is now in charge of food distribution in Gaza through a new aid system run with U.S. assistance.

Muhammad Sinwar was among the final Hamas top leaders to remain in Gaza. Israel has been systematically targeting the group's leadership from the start of the war; political head Ismail Haniyeh, military chief Mohammed Deif, and Yahya Sinwar were all killed.

Hamas has yet to confirm Muhammad Sinwar's death, despite Netanyahu's claim.

Following the October 7, 2023, attacks in which Hamas-led militants infiltrated into southern Israel, murdering almost 1,200 people, the majority of them were civilians, and kidnapping over 250 more, the war in Gaza broke out. Since then, Israel's military effort has sought to demolish Hamas' military facilities and ensure the release of hostages who are still being held in Gaza.