The body of Muhammad Sinwar, a senior Hamas military commander and de facto leader of the organisation’s armed wing in Gaza, has reportedly been discovered in a tunnel complex in Khan Younis targeted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) last week.
The report, broadcast by Saudi news outlet Al-Hadath, has not yet been confirmed by Israeli authorities.
According to the Al-Hadath report, Sinwar was found dead alongside ten of his aides in a section of the tunnel network beneath the southern Gaza city. The tunnel, which was struck multiple times by the IDF, lay beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis. The IDF had previously identified the site as a suspected command compound and launched successive strikes in an apparent effort to eliminate senior Hamas figures sheltering there and to prevent any subsequent recovery or escape operations.
Unconfirmed reports also suggest that Mohammad Shabana, commander of the Rafah Brigade within Hamas’s military structure, may have been killed in the same airstrike. The IDF has not issued a statement verifying either death.
Muhammad Sinwar was widely regarded as one of Hamas’s most influential remaining military leaders, especially following the deaths of other senior operatives in recent months. He assumed operational control of the group’s military wing following the July 2024 death of long-time military chief Muhammad Deif, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike during a wave of retaliatory operations in Gaza.
Sinwar’s role became further pronounced after the killing of his elder brother, Yahya Sinwar, the former overall leader of Hamas in Gaza, in an Israeli operation in October 2024. Following his brother’s death, Muhammad Sinwar emerged as the key figure in directing Hamas’s armed activities and strategy from within the territory.
Israeli intelligence sources have described Sinwar as uncompromising, particularly in relation to negotiations over the release of hostages captured during Hamas’s 7 October 2023 incursion into southern Israel. That attack, the most extensive launched by Hamas in its history, resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and the abduction of 251 others. The subsequent Israeli military campaign has focused heavily on dismantling Hamas’s leadership structure and operational capabilities within Gaza.
Muhammad Sinwar’s history with Hamas dates back several decades. In the 1990s, he was imprisoned by Israel for nine months. He later served a three-year sentence in a Palestinian Authority prison in Ramallah, escaping in 2000. He was later linked to a 2006 operation that led to the capture of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. He also previously held command over Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, one of the organisation’s key regional units.
The Israeli air campaign, ongoing since the start of the war in October 2023, has resulted in the deaths of numerous Hamas commanders and operatives. Israel has focused on targeting underground infrastructure used by Hamas for command and control, weapons storage, and movement across the Gaza Strip. These tunnel systems, often situated beneath civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools, have become a central focus of Israeli military operations.
Despite the reported elimination of many top leaders, Hamas continues to operate in fragmented capacities, utilising remaining commanders and decentralised units to resist Israeli incursions. Nevertheless, the loss of figures such as Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and now potentially Muhammad Sinwar and Shabana, is likely to deal a significant blow to Hamas’s ability to coordinate military actions and maintain internal cohesion.
Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel have repeatedly faltered, with key sticking points including the terms of hostage release and the future governance of the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials have previously cited Muhammad Sinwar as a principal barrier to diplomatic progress.
If confirmed, the death of Muhammad Sinwar would represent a further degradation of Hamas’s command structure and may shift the balance within the organisation’s leadership. However, without independent verification or confirmation from Israel or Hamas, the report remains uncorroborated.
The situation in Gaza remains fluid, with continued military activity and humanitarian concerns. International efforts to mediate a lasting cessation of hostilities have thus far yielded limited success. The war, now in its eighth month, shows few signs of resolution, with both sides maintaining entrenched positions.
Image source: open.online
Read also:
IDF and Shin Bet Eliminate October 7th Attack Leader in Gaza Operation
