Where Is Yahya Sinwar? Photo Of Hamas Chief Seen At IDF Briefing Leaves His Whereabouts In Doubt

Rumours about the whereabouts of the Hamas leader have intensified after reports surfaced that Yahya Sinwar was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. During a recent IDF operational briefing, a photo of Sinwar was displayed with a question mark over his name, suggesting uncertainty about his status.

Where Is Yahya Sinwar?

The image has led to speculation that it was a subtle message from the IDF regarding Sinwar’s fate, especially as reports have surfaced in recent weeks indicating that he may no longer be alive. Israeli intelligence experts have expressed concerns that statements attributed to Sinwar in recent weeks may not have originated from him, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Sinwar, who has been a primary target for both US and Israeli forces since the October 7 Hamas attacks, is believed to be hiding within Gaza’s extensive network of tunnels. There are claims that he has adopted disguises, including dressing as a woman, to evade capture.

‘Hamas Defeated’

This report came as Israeli fighter planes on Sunday targeted Hamas members operating a command center from a building that was previously used as a school in northern Gaza. The army said it took many steps ahead of time to reduce harm to civilians in the strike, including choosing more precise weapons and conducting aerial observations of the site ahead of time.

“The Hamas terror group systematically violates international law, brutally exploiting civilian institutions and the population as a human shield for terror operations,” the IDF said in a statement. Before the Sunday strike, the IDF claimed that the country defeated Hamas “militarily” across the Gaza Strip and it is now operating as a guerrilla outfit. The Israeli military said Hamas is no longer the same outfit it was before October 7.

Its command structure, weaponry, and number of operatives have been severely weakened, with reports indicating that at least half of its members have been killed, The Times of Israel reported. The conflict began when Hamas-led militants entered Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, and taking another 250 hostage in Gaza. More than 41,000 Palestinians have died. Nearly a year into the war, Sinwar has evaded the Israeli military.

Despite significant intelligence efforts, including advanced technology and ground operations capability of Israel, his location remains unknown. Notably, the story about the Hamas chief’s picture coincides with the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was targeted in Israeli airstrikes on Saturday in Beirut’s Dahiyeh neighbourhood.

Nasrallah’s killing

Nasrallah’s killing in a command HQ on Friday came barely a week after the deadly detonation of thousands of booby-trapped Hezbollah pagers and hundreds of radios – attacks widely blamed on Israel but which it has not claimed. His assassination was the culmination of a rapid succession of strikes that have eliminated half of Hezbollah’s leadership council and decimated its top military command.

Israel says it carried out the hit on Nasrallah by dropping bombs on the underground headquarters below a residential building in southern Beirut. “This is a massive blow and intelligence failure for Hezbollah,” Magnus Ranstorp, a veteran Hezbollah expert at the Swedish Defence University. “They knew that he was meeting. He was meeting with other commanders. And they just went for him.” Experts believe that after the Hezbollah chief’s death, all eyes will be on Sinwar.

(With agency inputs)