The body of Muhammad Shinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has reportedly been discovered.
Muhammad Shinwar. Provided by Israeli military · Screenshot from Times of Israel website. Photo by Yonhap News
According to Yonhap News and foreign media on May 18, following a targeted operation conducted by the Israeli military in Khan Younis in southern Gaza last week, Muhammad and 10 of his close associates were found dead inside a tunnel in the area.
Among the bodies discovered was reportedly Muhammad Shabana, the commander of the Rafah Brigade, a military unit of Hamas. The Israeli military has not officially confirmed the deaths of either Muhammad or Commander Shabana.
On May 13, the Israeli military carried out an airstrike on a Hamas command and control facility located beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis. A military official stated that this attack specifically targeted Muhammad.
The Ministry of Health, run by Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, announced that the airstrike killed 16 people and injured about 70 others. However, they did not specify whether Muhammad was among the casualties.
Muhammad has been known as one of the few senior Hamas leaders to have survived approximately 18 months of ongoing war, and is considered the de facto top leader of Hamas within the Gaza Strip.
He is believed to be around 50 years old and is the younger brother of Yahya Shinwar, the top political leader of Hamas who led the surprise attack on Israel in October 2023.
After his brother was killed by the Israeli military in October last year, Muhammad took over as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, heading its military organization.
Recently, Muhammad has maintained a hardline stance in negotiations over hostage releases and a ceasefire. Some analysts suggest that if his death is confirmed, it could facilitate a smoother agreement on a ceasefire in the future.
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