The individual in question is Mohammed Deif, identified as the top Hamas leader Israel claims to have struck in an air raid.
Israel Confirms Death of Hamas Armed Wing Leader, Sinwar
Cairo - In a significant development during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the killing of Mohammed Sinwar, believed to be the head of Hamas' armed wing, in a recent strike in the Gaza Strip.
The announcement was made by Netanyahu during a speech to Israel's parliament on May 29. While Hamas has not officially confirmed Sinwar's death, the Israeli military has claimed that he was a target in a May 13 strike on a Hamas command center beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza, the Sinwars' hometown. The younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the former Hamas leader who was killed by Israeli forces in October 2024, Mohammed Sinwar was among the last prominent Hamas leaders alive in Gaza.
Israeli strikes in the 19-month war have decimated Hamas' leadership, and the elimination of Sinwar further weakens the militant group's command structure. However, despite losing key figures, Hamas has maintained control over parts of Gaza not seized by Israel. The group continues to hold hostages and conduct sporadic attacks on Israeli forces.
As head of Hamas' armed wing, Sinwar played a significant role in the group's decisions, including hostage negotiations. His death could potentially complicate U.S. and Arab efforts to broker a ceasefire. Israel has pledged to continue the war until all hostages are returned and Hamas has either been defeated or disarmed and sent into exile.
In his speech, Netanyahu also mentioned the killing of other top Hamas leaders during the war, including Mohammed Deif, Ismail Haniyeh, and Yahya Sinwar, although he did not elaborate on the circumstances.
Mohammed Sinwar was born in 1975 in the urban Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza. A member of Hamas since its founding in the late 1980s as the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, he rose through the ranks to become a member of its joint chiefs of staff. He was involved in planning a 2006 cross-border attack on an Israeli army post and was one of the planners of the 2023 attack that marked the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
Magdy and Mroue write for the Associated Press. Mroue reported from Beirut.
Enrichment Data:- The lethal strike on Mohammed Sinwar occurred on May 13, 2025, beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza[2].- Netanyahu included Sinwar's name among the high-profile Hamas leaders killed during the war, alongside Yahya Sinwar (his brother, killed in October), Mohammed Deif (military wing leader killed in July), and Ismail Haniyeh (former political leader assassinated in Iran the previous year)[1][2].
The death of Sinwar represents a significant blow to Hamas leadership and could potentially impact the military and political dynamics of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict[1][2].
- The death of Mohammed Sinwar, the head of Hamas' armed wing, could potentially make U.S. and Arab efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict more challenging, as he was involved in significant decisions, including hostage negotiations.
- The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, particularly the recent war, has decimated Hamas' leadership, with the elimination of Sinwar further weakening the militant group's command structure.
- Politics and general news reports have been dominated by the Israel-Hamas conflict and its impacts on health, crime, and justice in California and beyond, with the latest development being Israel's confirmation of Sinwar's death in a lethal strike in the Gaza Strip.
