Cash, UN Employee ID, Candies Found on Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar's Body, Pics Go Viral

Jerusalem: A huge amount of cash, a UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) ID, several weapons and mentos candies were found alongside the body of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas head, during an operation in Rafah's Tel Sultan. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) confirmed the news on Thursday, October 17.

The IDF in a statement said, "Sinwar orchestrated the October 7 massacre and promoted his murderous ideology both before and during the war, making him responsible for the murder and abduction of many Israelis."

As per the IDF, Sinwar had been hiding for over a year among the Gaza population. Both IDF and Shin Bet have particularly led numerous operations leading to his death.

'Yahya Sinwar Has Been Killed': Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

In a national address Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said," I stand before you to inform you that Yahya Sinwar has been eliminated. Today, we have shown what happens to those who oppose us; our mission is far from over, and we must recover the captives."

"Today, evil took a heavy blow — the mission ahead of us is still unfinished," Netanyahu said. Netanyahu added that Sinwar was “a mass murderer who killed thousands of Israelis and kidnapped hundreds of our citizens."

"Today signifies the beginning of a new chapter following Hamas, but the war is far from over," he added.

Who was Yahya Sinwar?

Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, has long been one of the most influential figures within the terrorist group, known for his ability to wield significant power while remaining largely concealed within the tunnels of Gaza.

As the Israeli military investigates reports of his possible death as a result of an IDF operation, many are left to ponder the implications of his elimination on the ongoing violence and the broader peace efforts in the region.

Born in 1962 in Gaza, Sinwar grew up in the shadow of displacement, as his family was among the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs who fled during the wars surrounding the establishment of Israel.

Under Sinwar's leadership, Hamas has engaged in a strategy characterized by its hard-line stance against Israel, demonstrating an unwillingness to compromise during prolonged negotiations for a truce. Intelligence assessments from both Israeli and U.S. sources suggest that Sinwar’s aim is to prolong the conflict to erode Israel’s international reputation and damage its relationship with the United States.