More than a year after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, the country’s military has killed the person believed to be the mastermind of the cross-border massacre, raising questions about the future of the war and the extremist group itself.
Israel has killed several other Hamas leaders, including Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Mr. Sinwar’s death marked “the beginning of the next day for Hamas” but that “the task before us is not yet complete.”
So how did it happen? Israel poured resources into an intense search for Shinwar, declaring him the Gaza Strip’s most wanted man and a “dead man walking.” At one point, an Israeli military spokesperson said, “The hunt will not stop until a captive is captured, dead or alive.”
And although U.S. officials believe Israeli forces have approached several times and at one point even obtained footage purportedly showing Mr. Shinwar and his family inside tunnels in Gaza, Mr. He continued to run away. Israeli forces had previously surrounded Shinwar’s home and conducted intensive attacks on his hometown of Khan Younis, but were unable to find him.
A year-long search came to an unexpected end in Rafah after Israeli forces came under fire near the building during a routine operation, two Israeli intelligence sources said.
Troops fired back with tanks and then flew drones into the building. A video shared by the military shows what appears to be Shinwar’s final moments. Shinwar is sitting alone in a chair, surrounded by dust and debris, and appears to be staring directly at the camera. He had a piece of wood in his hand and threw it at the drone before the video ended.
Only then, when troops inspected the rubble, did they realize that Shinwar was among the bodies.
Dental records and other biometrics helped Israel identify Hamas leaders, according to U.S. and former officials familiar with the matter.
The Israeli military said Shinwar was attempting to flee north when he was killed. According to the newspaper, the man was in possession of a gun and more than $10,000 in Israeli shekels.
