For more than a year, Israel's security forces, with significant backing from the United States, invested substantial resources and gathered extensive intelligence in their pursuit of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader linked to the October 7 attacks, according to The New York Times.
Ultimately, it was a unit of trainee squad commanders who unexpectedly came across Sinwar during an operation in southern Gaza, as reported by four Israeli defense officials who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation.
Where was Sinwar found?
On Wednesday, an Israeli unit patrolling southern Gaza encountered a small group of fighters, according to officials. Supported by drones, the soldiers engaged in a firefight, resulting in the deaths of three Palestinian militants. During the clash, Israeli fire damaged a building where the militants were hiding.
Israel confirms killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in Gaza
As the dust settled and the soldiers began to search the debris, they discovered a body that strikingly resembled Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader. This discovery was unexpected, as Israeli and U.S. intelligence had believed Sinwar was hiding deep underground, surrounded by Israeli hostages to protect himself from assassination.
How did Sinwar die?
Photographs obtained by The New York Times, some of which circulated online, depict a man whose facial features closely resemble Yahya Sinwar. The body shows multiple severe wounds, including to the head and leg, and bears distinctive marks matching those seen in archival footage of Sinwar, such as moles near his eyes and crooked teeth.
After the firefight concluded, soldiers approached the bodies with caution, as the area was still strewn with explosive devices. They suspected that Sinwar's body might be booby-trapped. Alongside the militants, the troops discovered money and weaponry, with one official sharing photos of the scene, including these items.
The soldiers were also concerned about the possibility of hostages being present but found none with the fighters. The Israeli military stated that there is no evidence indicating that any hostages still held in Gaza were harmed during the battle. By Thursday evening, following the identification process, the Israeli military confirmed that Yahya Sinwar was dead.
Source: With inputs from The New York Times