Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that Israel had killed Mohammad Sinwar, the Hamas commander in Gaza and one of the country’s most sought-after targets. Sinwar, the younger brother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, played a key role in the group’s operations in the enclave.
Mohammad Sinwar had been the target of an Israeli strike on a hospital in southern Gaza earlier this month, and Netanyahu said on May 21 that it was likely he had been killed.
“In the last two days we have been in a dramatic turn towards a complete defeat of Hamas,” he said, adding that Israel was also “taking control of food distribution”, a reference to a new aid distribution system in Gaza managed by a U.S.-backed group.
Hamas has yet to confirm Sinwar’s death.
Sinwar was elevated to the top ranks of the Palestinian militant group last year after Israel killed his brother Yahya in combat.
Yahya Sinwar masterminded the October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war, now in its 20th month, and was later named the overall leader of the group after Israel killed his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, in Iran.
Who Was Mohammad Sinwar?
Mohammad Sinwar, a senior commander in Hamas, was widely believed to be the head of Hamas operations in Gaza and one of Israel’s most wanted targets due to his role in orchestrating attacks and overseeing military strategy within the enclave.
Mohammad Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza and a dominant figure within the organisation’s political and military hierarchy.
While Yahya Sinwar often took the spotlight as the face of Hamas in Gaza, Mohammad played a crucial role behind the scenes, reportedly managing military logistics, operations, and coordination with other militant factions.
According to Israeli officials, Mohammad Sinwar was responsible for planning or facilitating several attacks against Israeli targets and was seen as a key link in Hamas’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
His influence made him a high-priority target for Israeli forces.
The killing of Sinwar is a significant development in Israel’s campaign against Hamas leadership.
(With inputs from Reuters)
