Hamas Chief Muhammad Sinwar Neutralized by IDF, says Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday announced that Muhammad Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza, has been killed by the Israeli military. The Israeli PM was addressing the parliament's plenary session. 

Sinwar, a senior Hamas figure and the brother of Hamas political leader Yahya Sinwar, was reportedly gravely injured in a major Israeli airstrike carried out on May 14. At the time, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it could not confirm whether he had been killed in the attack. Muhmammad Sinwar was elevated to the position of Hamas chief last year after his brother Yahya Sinwar was eliminated by IDF. 

Yahya Sinwar was elevated to the position of Hamas chief after Israel eliminated his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.

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Netanyahu’s confirmation ends days of speculation over Sinwar’s fate following the high-intensity strike, which targeted senior Hamas leaders amid escalating hostilities in the region.

While further details were not immediately released, Israeli media reports had suggested that intelligence sources had been tracking Sinwar’s movements in the days leading up to the operation. His death is expected to be seen by Israel as a significant blow to Hamas' command structure in Gaza.

The Israeli prime minister did not specify when or how Israeli forces verified Sinwar’s death, but emphasized the ongoing operations against Hamas leadership as part of what he described as a broader mission to “dismantle the terrorist infrastructure” in Gaza.

There was no immediate response from Hamas to the announcement. More updates are expected as both sides react to the development.