Palestinian militant group Hamas confirmed the death of its leader, Yahya Sinwar, on Friday, a day after Israel announced his demise in Gaza. Khalil al-Hayya, a Qatar-based Hamas official, expressed condolences in a video statement, mourning Sinwar as a significant leader of the group.
Sinwar became a primary target for Israel following the October 7, 2023 attack, which was the deadliest in Israeli history. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Sinwar’s death as a significant blow to Hamas amid ongoing military operations in Gaza.
The October 7 assault led to the deaths of 1,206 individuals, predominantly civilians, and saw 251 people taken hostage. A total of 97 hostages are still believed to be in Gaza, with Israeli officials reporting that 34 of them are dead.
In his statement, al-Hayya insisted that Hamas would not release the captives until the war in Gaza concluded, urging Israel to withdraw and free Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
According to the health ministry in Gaza, Israeli operations against Hamas have resulted in the deaths of 42,500 people, most of whom are civilians, figures that the UN regards as reliable.
Al-Hayya asserted that Hamas would draw strength from Sinwar’s death, likening him to previous leaders and symbols of the movement