Israel Claims Death of Senior Hamas Leader Mohammad Sinwar in Gaza Airstrike
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that Mohammad Sinwar, the Hamas commander in Gaza and younger brother of slain leader Yahya Sinwar, has been killed in an Israeli military operation.
The statement comes amid ongoing Israeli offensives in the coastal territory and intensifying international attention on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Mohammad Sinwar had reportedly been the target of an Israeli airstrike on May 13, which struck near the European Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The Israeli military claimed the attack targeted underground Hamas infrastructure. Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported 28 deaths in the strike, but Hamas has not confirmed Sinwar’s death.
Speaking before the Israeli parliament, Netanyahu declared Sinwar had been “eliminated,” listing him among several high-ranking Hamas figures Israel says it has killed in its nearly 20-month campaign in Gaza.
“In the last two days, we have been in a dramatic turn towards a complete defeat of Hamas,” Netanyahu stated, reaffirming Israel’s objective to dismantle the group’s leadership and infrastructure.
Mohammad Sinwar rose to prominence after the death of his brother Yahya Sinwar, who was believed to have orchestrated the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that left approximately 1,200 people dead and over 250 taken hostage. That attack marked the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority of them civilians, although Israel maintains that a significant number of militants are among the dead. The Israeli military has not publicly substantiated its estimates of militant casualties.
The conflict, now in its 20th month, has resulted in widespread devastation in Gaza, displacing more than two million people. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies continue to warn of severe food shortages and worsening living conditions.
Netanyahu also reiterated Israel’s continued control over the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza through a new system managed by a US-backed foundation. The move has drawn criticism from some international actors and aid groups, who argue that bypassing established humanitarian channels risks further destabilizing aid efforts.
In recent days, the Israeli military reported targeting dozens of locations across Gaza, including anti-tank missile sites and weapons depots. Meanwhile, at least one person was killed and 48 injured in an incident at a newly established aid distribution site. It remains unclear who was responsible for the gunfire.
Despite calls for restraint from various international leaders and a formal review of EU-Israel trade relations, Netanyahu affirmed that military operations will continue until Hamas is fully dismantled and the remaining 58 hostages are returned.
