The death Of Sinwa: Israel's strike that shook Gaza

A day after Israel declared the assassination of its commander, Yahya Sinwar, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas revealed Friday that the Israeli force had killed him in Gaza.

Recently appointed as the group's head on August 6, Sinwa succeeded former political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was slain on July 31 in Tehran, Iran. On Thursday, Sinwa was killed in a surprise gunfight in Rafah, southern Gaza.

Born in a camp for refugees in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, Sinwa was imprisoned by Israel for half of his adult life. He was released by Israel in 2011 along with over 1,000 other Palestinians in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and he was regarded as the most senior and prominent of all of those released. 

After the October 7, 2023 incident, which was the bloodiest in Israel's history, Sinwar became the most wanted man in Israel. According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, Israel believed Sinwar was the mastermind behind the October 7 strike in southern Israel, which was carried out by Hamas and set off the ongoing confrontation in Gaza, in which Israeli troops have killed at least 42,500 Palestinians.

In a briefing, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that when the forces discovered three fugitive terrorists fleeing from house to house, Sinwar fled into one of the buildings by himself.

Later, the military published drone images of Sinwar seated in an armchair, coated in dust, with a traditional scarf covering his head and one hand seriously damaged. Before being shot in the head, Sinwar was seen in the video hurling a stick at the oncoming drone. The absence of any indications of hostages in the region was confirmed by a military statement. 

In a televised speech on Friday, Hamas leader Khalil Hayya claimed that the 62-year-old leader was “steadfast, brave, and intrepid” and that he “sacrificed his life to the cause of our liberation,” according to Aljazeera.

He told the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV that "he met his end standing brave, with his head held high, holding his firearm, firing until the last breath, until the last moment of his life."

He has been fighting as a resistant fighter since his early years. He remained steadfast behind Israeli bars and persisted in his fight and commitment to the cause after being freed in a trade.

Sinwar's "martyrdom" and the leaders who came before him "will only increase the strength and resilience," Hayya continued.

However, he stated that unless Israel ceases its attacks on Gaza and removes its troops from the besieged region, the prisoners detained there will not be allowed to return.

The Palestinian organization, which has been fighting Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip for more than a year, has suffered a severe blow with his passing.

Iran said that the murder of its Palestinian ally will bolster "the spirit of resistance," while Lebanon's Hezbollah pledged to intensify its conflict with Israel.