Israel’s Discovery and Confirmation of Yahya Sinwar’s Death

Israel’s Hunt for Yahya Sinwar

For over a year, Israel’s security apparatus, with substantial backing from the United States, devoted immense resources and accumulated a wealth of intelligence in their pursuit of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader identified as a key architect of the devastating attacks on October 7. However, in an unexpected turn of events, a unit of trainee squad commanders stumbled upon Mr. Sinwar during a routine operation in southern Gaza, as revealed by four Israeli defense officials who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the details.

Where Was Sinwar Found?

On Wednesday, the Israeli unit was patrolling the southern Gaza region when they encountered a small group of armed militants. According to officials, the soldiers, supported by drone surveillance, engaged in a fierce firefight, resulting in the death of three Palestinian fighters. Amidst the chaos, Israeli gunfire caused part of a building to collapse, where the militants had sought refuge. As the dust settled and the soldiers began their search, they were astonished to discover that one of the deceased bore a striking resemblance to the elusive Hamas leader.

This encounter took place in a location that intelligence reports had deemed improbable for Mr. Sinwar’s whereabouts. Both Israeli and U.S. intelligence had long believed that he, wary of potential assassination attempts, was hiding deep underground, using Israeli hostages as human shields to safeguard his own life.

How Did He Die?

Photographs obtained by The New York Times, some of which circulated on social media, depict a man whose facial features closely resemble those of Mr. Sinwar. The images reveal severe injuries to the body, particularly to the head and leg. Notably, there are distinct physical characteristics, such as moles near his eyes and crooked teeth, that match archival footage of the Hamas leader.

After the firefight concluded, the soldiers approached the bodies with caution, as the area remained strewn with explosive devices, according to two officials. They were particularly wary of one body, believed to belong to Mr. Sinwar, which was thought to be booby-trapped. Alongside the militants, the soldiers discovered money and an array of weaponry, with photos taken at the scene capturing these items on display.

One official noted that the troops were also concerned about the possibility of hostages being present in the vicinity, but searches revealed that none were found with the fighters. The Israeli military stated that there is no evidence suggesting that any hostages still held in Gaza were harmed during the confrontation.

On Thursday evening, following a thorough identification process, the Israeli military formally announced the death of Yahya Sinwar.

Reporting contributions from Aric Toler, Riley Mellen, and Christiaan Triebert were integral to this account.

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