The Israeli military announced on the 17th (local time) that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Palestinian armed faction Hamas, may have been eliminated.
In a statement released that afternoon, the Israeli military said, "Three terrorists were killed during an operation in the Gaza Strip," adding, "The military and Shin Bet (domestic intelligence agency) are confirming the possibility that one of them is Yahya Sinwar."
Sinwar was the figure who planned and led Hamas's surprise attack on Israel on October 7 last year. Following the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran, on July 31, Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, became Haniyeh's successor.
However, the Israeli military confirmed that the identities of those killed have not been verified at this stage. They also added that traces were found indicating that Israeli hostages had been staying in the building where the three were killed.
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