Mohammed Sinwar, head of the Hamas military wing, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on May 13 in Khan Yunis, the IDF confirmed on Saturday.
The operation, conducted jointly with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), targeted senior Hamas figures operating in an underground command and control center.
The IDF said the airstrike was carried out using extensive intelligence measures aimed at avoiding civilian harm. The targeted command center was located beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, but hospital operations were not disrupted.
In addition to Sinwar, the airstrike killed Mohammad Shabaneh, commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade, and Mahdi Quara, commander of Hamas’s South Khan Yunis Battalion. Both figures participated in planning and executing the October 7 attacks and directing operations against Israeli forces.
Sinwar was a key figure in Hamas’s military leadership and played a central role in planning the October 7 attack. He previously served as commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade and head of the Operations Headquarters, and was also involved in the planning of the abduction of Gilad Shalit in 2006.
The IDF said the operation was led by the Southern Command and the Israeli Air Force, with intelligence support from the IDF and ISA, and guided by real-time decision-making by Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir.
Sinwar was appointed to lead Hamas’s military wing following the elimination of Mohammed Deif and his brother, Yahya Sinwar. His appointment marked his emergence as a key decision-maker in Hamas’s strategic planning and rebuilding efforts.
Israel Katz threatens remaining Hamas leadership
Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to the confirmation, saying, “Now it’s official: Mohammed Sinwar, the chief murderer, was eliminated along with Rafah Brigade commander Mohammed Shabaneh and the group of criminals who were with them under the European Hospital in Gaza. They have been sent to meet his brother at the gates of hell.
Congratulations to the IDF and the ISA on a perfect execution.
Israel’s long arm will reach all those responsible for the murder and atrocities of October 7, wherever they may be, near or far, until they are completely eliminated.”
“Ezz al-Din al-Hadad in Gaza and Khalil al-Hayya abroad, and all their partners in crime, you are next,” he concluded.
Previously, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Sinwar was killed, but the security establishment had yet to confirm his statements.
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