Israel Kills Hamas Gaza Chief Mohammed Sinwar, Netanyahu Declares in Knesset

In a bold address to Israel’s Knesset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israeli forces have eliminated Mohammed Sinwar, the senior Hamas leader who took the reins of the group’s Gaza operations after his brother Yahya Sinwar’s death. This strike, targeting a hospital in southern Gaza on May 13, marks another chapter in Israel’s relentless campaign against Hamas, with Netanyahu claiming it has reshaped the Middle East’s security landscape.

Mohammed Sinwar, a key figure in Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, was found dead in a Khan Yunis tunnel alongside ten aides. The strike, which killed 16 and wounded 70 according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, underscores the high stakes of Israel’s operations. Netanyahu’s speech highlighted the deaths of other Hamas leaders like Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh, signaling a strategic blow to the group’s leadership.

Sinwar’s death could throw a wrench into ongoing U.S. and Arab efforts to broker a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages. With Israel vowing to press on until Hamas is dismantled or exiled, the path to peace grows murkier. The late Yahya Sinwar, architect of the October 7 massacre, leaves a grim legacy that his brother briefly carried forward.