Israeli Airstrike Targets Hamas Commander in Gaza
Muhammad Sinwar, a prominent Hamas leader in Gaza, was reportedly hit by an extensive Israeli airstrike at a hospital located in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) did not confirm if Sinwar was among the casualties but acknowledged the strike on Hamas’s underground headquarters beneath Khan Yunis’ European Hospital.
The military published a video showing the aftermath of the strike, purportedly revealing tunnels beneath the hospitals that were exposed by the attack.
Additional footage uploaded online displayed a considerable crater in the courtyard of the hospital, with a damaged bus caught in one of the holes.
Casualties from the hospital strike are reported to include at least 28 fatalities and numerous injuries, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Israeli sources indicated that efforts were ongoing to ascertain whether Sinwar had been killed in the assault. Sinwar is thought to be one of the last senior Hamas commanders remaining in Gaza following over a year and a half of conflict with Israel. He is the younger sibling of Yahiya Sinwar, a former Hamas leader killed by Israeli forces in 2023, who was responsible for orchestrating the attack that ignited the current war on October 7, 2023.
“If Sinwar was indeed in the tunnel, it’s likely he would have been killed based on the military’s intelligence,” a source stated.
Context of the Attack
Israeli officials have accused Hamas of utilizing hospitals in Gaza for their operations, a claim that has been categorically denied by Hamas and medical officials. In the midst of ongoing fighting, Israel is threatening to escalate military actions significantly, despite efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Monday that military forces would proceed into Gaza “with all their strength” in the coming days unless Hamas relinquishes its weapons and frees the 20 living hostages they still hold, along with the remains of 40 individuals.
Hamas leaders have refused to disarm, asserting they will not release prisoners unless the conflict ceases.
Previously, the military had stated that it targeted Hamas militants at the Nasser Hospital’s “Command and Control Center” in Khan Yunis. The Gaza health ministry reported that this strike resulted in two deaths, one of whom was journalist Hassan Asli, as indicated by civil defense. Israel had accused Asli of involvement in the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Throughout the war, Israel has systematically targeted Hamas leadership, eliminating figures such as Yahya Sinwar and Muhammad Deif, head of the military wing, as well as Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief, among others. Hamas is designated as a “terrorist organization” by the U.S.
