The leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar – seen as the mastermind of the 7 October attack – has been killed in Gaza, Israel has said.
Foreign minister Israel Katz said of his nation’s most wanted man: “Mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who was responsible for the massacre and atrocities of 7 October, was killed today by [Israeli] soldiers”. The killing represents a major boost to the Israeli military and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, after a string of high-profile assassinations of prominent leaders of its enemies in recent months.
Sinwar is thought to have engineered the attack along with Mohammed Deif, who was killed in an airstrike on Gaza in July. The same month, Hamas’s political leader, Ismael Haniyeh, was assassinated in a strike in Iran.
The 7 October attack killed around 1,200 Israelis, while another 251 people were taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory war inside Gaza from land and air has killed 42,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza.
Israel’s Kan Radio reported that Sinwar had been killed “by chance”. The station also said his body and those of two other Hamas members were found with money and fake IDs.
Channel 12 reported that the incident in question took place on Wednesday in the southern city of Rafah. Troops who spotted several fighters entering a building ordered a tank strike against it, which collapsed the structure. Graphic photos and video from the scene, broadcast on Israeli media, showed what appeared to be Sinwar’s body, with a head wound, dressed in a military-style vest, half buried in the rubble of a destroyed building.
The Israeli military said it has been operating in southern Gaza following intelligence “that indicated the suspected locations of senior members of Hamas”. Soldiers from the 828th Brigade operating in the area “identified and eliminated three terrorists”, it said, adding an identification process confirmed one of those killed was Sinwar.
Esta historia es de la edición October 18, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 18, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Tuchel left with big calls to make after Carsley refresh
No pressure, Thomas. Lee Carsley hands over to Thomas Tuchel promising to give England’s next manager a comprehensive debrief on the three autumn camps but perhaps also elevating expectations. Not so much with the results – promotion in the Nations League was anticipated for a team ranked fourth in the world and who reached the final of Euro 2024 – as with his assessment of England’s prospects for the time covered by Tuchel’s 18-month deal.
Wiegman calls up uncapped trio for injury-hit Lionesses
England manager Sarina Wiegman is confident Laura Blindkilde-Brown and Ruby Mace can both make the most of their first senior call-ups to an injury-hit squad.
Wales promoted as Cullen double freezes out Iceland
Wales won Nations League promotion as Liam Cullen’s first two international goals helped them to a 4-1 victory over Iceland.
Retail bosses gifted excuse for when things go wrong
It’s not just British farmers who are hacked off by the latest Budget some of the biggest names in retail have now joined forces to send one of those angry, multi-signature letters to the chancellor, scolding her for the imminent tax hikes coming their way.
Jaguar pounces on new logo
Car giant Jaguar has unveiled a new logo and a rebranded range of electric cars alongside marketing slogans such as “delete ordinary,” “live vivid,” and “copy nothing.”
OF UNSOUND MIND
A disquieting mood permeates the BBC's 'The Listeners', the complex story of a teacher whose life unravels after she starts hearing a ceaseless, mysterious hum, writes Nick Hilton
It's grit over gloss in photo show's eye on the Eighties
Protest, poverty and privilege - The 80s: Photographing Britain at Tate Britain offers an exciting, if partial, view of a decade that remains highly polarising, writes Mark Hudson
Publicly-owned rail may not get us back on right track
Nationalisation is often touted as a golden ticket to a better train service. Simon Calder is less optimistic it will work
CAFFEINE FIX
Why does a squirt of syrup in your coffee at Christmas burn such a massive hole in your wallet? Olivia Petter finds out.
Longing and loss: our era of British cinematic elegance
It is four decades since A Room with a View’ made Merchant Ivory a household name. Sarah Sands recalls a world in which her brother Kit and her then husband Julian were central
