Israel probes 'possibility' Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar killed in Gaza operation

Israel is close to confirming that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed in an Israeli operation in Gaza, a senior source told Al-Monitor on Thursday. 

The source said that Israeli intelligence is "very close" to identifying Sinwar through DNA but warned that the result is "not final yet." 

Kan public broadcaster quoted two Israeli officials confirming that Sinwar was killed in a strike in Rafah in southern Gaza Wednesday night local time, per reports. Kan said that each member of Israel's security cabinet has been informed. The two sources told Kan that medical officials confirmed the DNA matched his. Sinwar spent more than two decades in Israeli prisons. 

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Israeli police told Israel's Channel 12 that its forensics team had identified Sinwar's body based on photos of his teeth. Additional tests are being conducted, the police said. Israel's military is still working to confirm his death via DNA, per reports.

"The Israeli military and the Shin Bet are checking the possibility that one of the assailants killed was Yahya Sinwar. At this stage, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed," read a joint statement by the military and the Shin Bet. The statement continued, "In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of the presence of hostages in the area. The forces that are operating in the area are continuing to operate with the required caution."

A spokesperson for Hamas did not immediately return Al-Monitor's request for comment.

The Israeli military said the operation was not based on any specific intelligence on Sinwar's whereabouts.

According to Kan, Sinwar was killed in an exchange of fire yesterday in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, between Israeli soldiers and a group of Hamas assailants. The exchange was not based on Israeli intelligence. The Israeli soldiers then sent a drone over to where the bodies were located to take pictures, with photos showing one body resembling the Hamas chief, Kan reported. 

Thursday’s statement is not the first time Israeli security agencies have investigated the possibility that Sinwar had been killed. 

In early October, that possibility was raised after the leader of Hamas stopped communicating with other Hamas members outside the Gaza Strip during talks with mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States on a potential deal with Israel. On Oct. 5, The New York Times reported that there was no evidence that Sinwar had been killed. The report quoted American sources as estimating that Sinwar had suspended contacts with the mediators because he was not seeking to reach an agreement with Israel.

On Oct. 7, Al Arabiya reported that Sinwar had resumed contact with the mediators, but one day later, Israeli sources told Ynet that no new messages from Sinwar had reached the mediators. 

Israeli leaders have vowed to eliminate Sinwar.

On Aug. 6, Hamas named Sinwar its new political leader, following the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran at the end of July. Before that, Sinwar had headed Hamas in Gaza. He is widely considered the mastermind behind Hamas’ attack on southern Israel last year. Israel has killed several senior Hamas members in Gaza, including the group’s military chief, Mohammed Deif.

On Sept. 8, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed that Israel would kill both Sinwar and his brother Muhammad. “We will reach Muhammad Sinwar and also Yahya Sinwar. Anyone who thinks otherwise should look at Marwan Issa and Mohammed Deif: They also thought they were immune. They are not with us today. They made their mistake. [Sinwar] will also make his mistake, and we will carry out our mission," Gallant said.

This developing story has been updated since initial publication.