Video footage released by the Israel Defense Forces shows a tank fire targeting a building where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had barricaded himself, authorities said Friday.
The Israel Defense Forces said Sinwar, the architect of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, was inside a building in the Gaza Strip when the tank opened fire. He was killed by Israeli forces on Thursday.
Israel has vowed to kill the terrorist leader after an attack masterminded by him left 1,200 members of the Israeli community dead and hundreds more taken hostage by Hamas terrorist fighters.
Who is Yahya Sinwar?
A building in Gaza where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was barricaded is shown after being shelled by Israeli tanks. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF and Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency said in a joint statement on Thursday that “Yahya Sinwar planned and carried out the October 7 massacre, promoted his murderous ideology before and during the war, and was responsible for the murder of many Israelis. and took responsibility for the kidnapping.” . “Yahiya Sinwar was eliminated after hiding behind Gazan civilians for the past year, both above and below the surface and underground of Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip.”
Sinwar, dubbed the “Butcher of Khan Yunis” by Israel for his violent and brutal torture methods against both Israeli and Palestinian enemies, was carried out by thousands of Hamas militants on October 7. He was widely seen as the mastermind behind the massacre of Israeli civilians. .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Hamas had suffered a “huge blow” after Sinwar's death was confirmed, but he promised that the war in Gaza was not over yet.
Hamas names Yahya Sinwar as mastermind of October 7 attacks as new leader
A poster depicting Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was put up in Tehran, the capital of Iran, on August 13, 2024. (Fateme Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Hamas will no longer rule Gaza,” he added. “This is the beginning of another day for Hamas, and an opportunity for you, the people of Gaza, to finally be free from their tyranny.”
In addition to Shinwar, other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah have also been targeted for killing by Israel for repeated attacks on the Jewish state.
On Friday, the IDF announced that 1,5,000 Hezbollah terrorist fighters have been eliminated since Israel began targeting the Iranian-backed group in southern Lebanon after enduring a year of airstrikes.
People gather near the assassination site of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday, September 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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“We estimate the number of Hezbollah operatives killed to be around 1,500, keeping that estimate in a conservative range,” said IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Helgi Halevi. “I think there are many more attacks out there, but we just don’t know.”
