Hamas leader and Yahya Sinwar's brother Muhammad found dead in Gaza tunnel hit by IDF airstrike: Report

Gaza-Israel War: The body of Muhammad Sinwar, the senior Hamas leader who took command of the militant group in Gaza following the death of his brother Yahya Sinwar last year, has reportedly been found in a tunnel struck by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) last week.

“Based on all indications, Mohammed Sinwar was killed in a strike carried out on the grounds of the European Hospital in Khan Younis," said Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz while speaking during a closed-door meeting with parliamentarians.

It is to be noted that Israel has not confirmed the deaths of either Muhammad Sinwar. According to Saudi channel Al-Hadath, Sinwar's body was recovered along with the remains of 10 of his aides.

The report said that there was evidence that the commander of the Rafah Brigade in Hamas’s military wing, Mohammad Shabana, was also killed in the strike.

The discovery comes amid ongoing intense military operations in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces continue to target Hamas infrastructure and leadership in response to the protracted conflict.

Muhammad Sinwar, who assumed leadership of Hamas’s military wing and political command in Gaza after Yahya’s killing in October 2024, was considered one of the most influential figures in the organisation.

Who is Muhammad Sinwar?

Born in 1975 in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza, Muhammad Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar rose through the ranks of Hamas over several decades. Nicknamed “the shadow” by Israeli officials due to his secretive nature, Sinwar has long been a key strategist and military commander within the group.

He was involved in the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, a high-profile operation that led to a prisoner exchange deal in 2011.

Muhammad Sinwar spent many years in Israeli and Palestinian Authority prisons during the 1990s and early 2000s, developing close ties with Hamas’s leadership.

After the death of his brother Yahya Sinwar, who was regarded as the architect of the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, Muhammad Sinwar took over the mantle of leadership.

Under Muhammad Sinwar's command, Hamas intensified recruitment efforts and escalated attacks against Israeli forces, despite severe Israeli military pressure.

Known for his ruthless approach and strategic acumen, Sinwar was one of the most wanted men by Israeli intelligence, with a substantial bounty placed on his capture.

Muhammad Sinwar's leadership has been marked by a combination of militant aggression and efforts to consolidate Hamas’s control over Gaza amid ongoing humanitarian crises.

Yahya Sinwar's Death

Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza and one of the key architects behind the deadly October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, was killed by Israeli forces on 16 October 2024 during a firefight in the southern Gaza Strip.

Yahya Sinwar, who had risen through the ranks of Hamas after spending over two decades in Israeli prisons, was known for his ruthless leadership and strategic acumen.

His death was confirmed through DNA and dental record verification after his body was found in Rafah, bearing multiple injuries including a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Sinwar’s killing as a significant blow to Hamas, though he warned that the conflict would continue with full force.

Hamas acknowledged his death, portraying him as a symbol of defiance and vowing to continue their struggle.