A video posted by the Israeli military on X follows a drone into a blown-out apartment room in Rafah, southern Gaza. In the room, a person, who according to the IDF is alleged to be Yahya Sinwar, with his face covered and an injured arm, sits alone in an armchair. As the drone approaches, the person turns and throws a stick at it.
But the IDF was initially unaware that it was the Hamas leader they had fired upon. According to information to CNN the IDF had been conducting a “routine mission” on Wednesday when movement in the building was detected, whereupon an Israeli armored personnel carrier opened fire. When the fighting subsided, troops began to search the building and it was only then that it was suspected that Yayha Sinwar had been killed in the attack.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari told a press conference on Thursday that Sinwar was trying to flee north when he came under fire.
– I think he was on the run, moved from an underground facility to a house to try to escape north to a safer facility, Hagari said, reports CNN.
Hagari also says that he was found with a vest, gun and 40 thousand shekels.
The 61-year-old Sinwar has been hunted by Israel for over a year and is said to have been living in underground tunnel systems. He has been considered by Israel to be most responsible for the 7 October 2023 attacks.
Confirmed using DNA testing
According to Israel, Sinwar’s death was confirmed with the help of dental records and DNA tests, which US President Joe Biden also writes in a statement on Thursday. American sources told CNN that the dental confirmation could be completed relatively quickly. That when the Israeli military had access to his biometrics after being imprisoned in Israel for two decades.
Hamas has not yet commented on the reports of Sinwar’s death.
See the images from the IDF’s video above.