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The Israeli military has confirmed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the 7 October attack on Israel last year, has been killed during an operation in southern Gaza.
In a statement, the spokesperson said the leader was killed by a southern command military operation in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday night. Verification of his body had been ongoing since then.
The death of Yahya Sinwar represents a major boost to the Israeli military and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a string of high-profile assassinations of prominent leaders of the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah in recent months.
Israel’s Army Radio said the incident occurred during a ground operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip during which Israeli troops killed three militants and took their bodies.
Sinwar was the chief architect of last October’s attack on Israel, which killed nearly 1,200 people and led to 251 more being taken hostage, and triggered the war inside Gaza. More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed since.
Sinwar had thus far eluded detection, possibly hiding in the warren of tunnels Hamas has built under Gaza over the past two decades.
Nato’s Rutte says on reported killing of Hamas leader Sinwar he ‘will not miss him’
Nato chief Mark Rutte addressed the reported killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Thursday, telling reporters, “If he has died, I personally will not miss him.”
Rutte spoke at a Brussels news conference a few minutes before Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz confirmed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had been killed.
UK defence secretary John Healey expressed a similar sentiment a few hours ago.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 19:01
Israel president commends killing of Sinwar
Israeli president Isaac Herzog has issued a statement regarding the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 18:44
Netanyahu says Israel’s fight goes on despite killing of Hamas leader
We have more from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech.
“We have finished our accounts with him,” he said. “But the mission ahead of us has not been completed.
“We will continue until all the hostages are brought home. This is our commitment. It is a supreme commitment.
“[Yahya] Sinwar destroyed all your lives. He was hiding in a little dark cave and he was killed running away from our soldiers.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to thwart the actors of evil in this area.
“We have to continue fighting courageously fighting. We will win.”
Tom Watling17 October 2024 18:43
Netanyahu calls on Gazans to ‘free themselves from tyranny’ of Hamas
Israeli prime minister has called on Gazans to seize the opportunity to be ‘freed from the tyranny’ of Hamas.
“Hamas will no longer Gaza,” he said, speaking to mark the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. “This is the day after that now.”
Addressing Gazans, he said: “It is your opportunity to be freed from his tyranny. I am telling you now, all your leaders will be eliminated.”
Tom Watling17 October 2024 18:41
Netanyahu: Our task is not complete
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is speaking publicly now for the first time after the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
He says that Israel’s task is not complete and that Israel will continue with full force until all the hostages are returned. Around 101 hostages are still believed to be in Gaza of the 251 taken last October.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 18:33
US, Israeli defense chiefs speak amid news of Hamas leader’s death
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has just spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, a US official said on Thursday.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed the call moments after Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said on Thursday that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 18:29
Pro-Palestine protesters in Finland cheer for armed resistance
Tom Watling17 October 2024 18:16
Israeli military confirms death of Hamas leader
The Israeli military has confirmed the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
In a message on X, formerly Twitter, they wrote: “Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar.”
The Israeli military in a separate statement said Sinwar had been killed during a military operation in southern Gaza on Wednesday night.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 18:02
Gallant: Our enemies will fall by the sword
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant has posted a message on X, formerly Twitter, following reports of the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
He cites Leviticus 26, a passage from the Torah, that reads: “You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword.”
In his own words, he adds: “Our enemies cannot hide. We will pursue and eliminate them.”
He attached a photo with red “X” marks over three pictures. One of them is blank. The other two show the faces of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif.
Nasrallah was killed in late September by an Israeli airstrike. Hezbollah is an ally of Hamas that has been firing at Israel since 8 October, the day after the Hamas attack on Israel.
Mohamed Deif, the co-mastermind behind 7 October alongside Sinwar, was killed by an airstrike on southern Gaza in July.
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:59
Israel FM confirms Hamas leader’s death – statement
Below we have quotes from Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz confirming the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar
“Mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who was responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers,” Katz said in a statement.
“This is a significant military and moral achievement for Israel and a victory for the entire free world against the axis of evil of radical Islam led by Iran.
“The elimination of Sinwar opens the possibility for the immediate release of the hostages and paves the way for a change that will lead to a new reality in Gaza—without Hamas and without Iranian control.”
Tom Watling17 October 2024 17:50