Gaza City, May 29 (V7N) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed the death of Mohammed Sinwar, a top Hamas leader, in a targeted airstrike in southern Gaza, putting an end to weeks of speculation over his fate.

According to international news agency Reuters, Netanyahu announced on Wednesday night that Sinwar, the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar—Israel’s most wanted man and a key figure in the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel—was killed during a massive Israeli strike on the European Hospital in Khan Younis last week.

Mohammed Sinwar had reportedly assumed a top leadership position within Hamas following the death of his brother Yahya, who was believed to have been killed earlier in the ongoing war. Israeli authorities have accused the Sinwar brothers of orchestrating terror operations and maintaining command centers within civilian facilities.

“This strike was a major success,” said Netanyahu, claiming the hospital was being used as a Hamas operational hub. The airstrike, conducted on May 13, is reported to have killed at least 28 people and injured dozens more, according to Gaza health officials.

Despite Israel’s assertion, Hamas has yet to officially confirm Mohammed Sinwar’s death. The militant group has often delayed public acknowledgment of its leaders' deaths, citing operational secrecy and strategic reasons.

This development marks a significant escalation in Israel's military campaign against Hamas, launched in response to the October 7, 2023, cross-border assault that left hundreds of Israeli civilians and soldiers dead. That attack triggered Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has since led to thousands of casualties and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Mohammed Sinwar’s death, following that of former Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in a separate Israeli strike in Iran, represents a continued effort by Israel to decapitate Hamas’s leadership structure. However, rights groups and international observers have raised concerns about the legality and humanitarian toll of targeting civilian infrastructure.

As the conflict persists, global calls for a ceasefire and renewed peace negotiations have intensified, but both sides remain entrenched in their positions. The death of Mohammed Sinwar is likely to fuel further tensions in the region and complicate any near-term prospects for de-escalation.

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