Netanyahu: Israel killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar in Gaza operation

Netanyahu: Israel killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar in Gaza operation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that a recent airstrike killed Mohammed Sinwar, the elusive de facto leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This incident represents the latest in a series of assassinations that have dealt significant setbacks to the group's leadership but have not yet broken its hold on power.

The connection to Yahya Sinwar

Mohammed Sinwar is the brother of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by the Israeli military in southern Gaza in October. Netanyahu made the announcement during a speech in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, to mark the 600th day since Hamas' attacks on October 7, 2023.

Attack details

CNN has reached out to Hamas for comment. In his speech, Netanyahu said: “We changed the face of the Middle East, drove terrorists out of our country, invaded the Gaza Strip with all our might and eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists.” Those cited include Mohammed Deif, Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Sinwar himself.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a full-scale attack on the European Hospital in Khan Younis on May 13, a day after Hamas released Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander. At that point, the IDF said it had targeted “Hamas terrorists in a command post” in the hospital’s underground infrastructure. A senior Israeli official and two sources familiar with the matter told CNN that the attack targeted Mohammed Sinwar. The attack claimed several dozen lives and injured many more, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported.

Hamas' reaction

Hamas rejected the claims about Sinwar's death, saying in a statement that only it had the authority to confirm or deny what was made public. Sinwar's death would deprive Hamas of a capable and determined commander, but many analysts agree it will not bring the end of the conflict any closer. It could even complicate negotiations with Israel if no new leader emerges and Hamas mediators are left without someone to talk to in Gaza.

The strategic influence of Mohammed Sinwar

Israeli officials viewed Mohammed Sinwar as tough-minded as his brother Yahya, but far more militarily experienced. According to the IDF, he commanded the Khan Younis Brigade until 2016. During the war, he, along with many other leading Hamas members, remained largely hidden in Gaza. In December 2023, the IDF released a video purporting to show Mohammed Sinwar driving through a tunnel in Gaza. In February 2024, the IDF said it had located his office in western Khan Younis.

Netanyahu's declaration of war

Netanyahu has pledged to continue the war until Israel destroys Hamas' military capabilities and its ability to govern. In this context, Israel has targeted several leading members of Hamas in recent months. Sinwar was the latest target. In July, Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif was killed in an attack on an area of ​​southern Gaza designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone. Two weeks later, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran. In October, Israeli forces killed Yahya Sinwar in Rafah, making his younger brother Mohammed the de facto leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The impact on the negotiations

Sinwar's death could significantly complicate the negotiation process as Hamas faces a shrinking leadership structure. Muhammad Shehada of the European Council on Foreign Relations argues that without these leaders, Hamas will become more decentralized, making a ceasefire harder to enforce. There are often different assessments of Hamas' leadership and its negotiators abroad. However, Shehada points out that Hamas mediators “fully represent the movement” and have already made numerous concessions regarding a post-conflict change in role.

The relevance of Mohammed Sinwar

Mohammed Sinwar was perceived as just as hard-headed as his brother, if not more radical. In a rare interview with Al Jazeera in 2021, he said: “We know how to identify the crew’s pain points and apply pressure.” When he was killed, he had accumulated 30 years of military experience.

A life in secret

Sinwar was born in Khan Younis refugee camp in 1975 and was arrested for militant activities as a teenager. He was leader of the Khan Younis Brigade and played a key role in the operation that led to the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006. According to Muhammad Shehada, Sinwar lived more in secret than his brother and other Hamas leaders to ensure maximum security.

The evidence of the last few months shows that he was a skilled tactician; The Israeli military repeatedly had to return to areas in Gaza that had previously been searched for Hamas fighters. Although Hamas may have lost up to 20,000 fighters, it has maintained its presence in many parts of Gaza and occasionally fires rockets into Israel.

Finally, Israel's efforts to eliminate Hamas will not be easy. Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser to Prime Minister Netanyahu, stressed that it would likely be necessary to fight for at least another year to free the Gaza Strip from the remnants of Hamas rule. The dynamics in Gaza depend on both the internal power dynamics within Hamas and the pressure from the US on the Israeli government.