The day after the assassination attempt: Israeli officials increasingly believe that Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar was killed on Tuesday. There is also growing speculation that his death could accelerate a hostage deal based on the Witkoff framework in the coming days. However, officials stress that, as in the case of Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, final confirmation may take several days or even weeks.
Israel is treading carefully when it comes to declaring Sinwar dead, given past experiences during this war and others. There have been numerous instances in which senior operatives were reported killed, only for them to resurface later. Hamas, for its part, is doing everything it can to obscure the outcome of the strike.
On Tuesday night, the IDF and the Shin Bet security agency carried out a targeted strike against Hamas terrorists operating in a command and control center located within underground infrastructure beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. The intended target was Mohammed Sinwar, Yahya Sinwar's brother.
Israeli Air Force fighter jets launched dozens of munitions simultaneously at the underground compound where Mohammed Sinwar was believed to be located. The attack was a complex operation, with the goal of eliminating anyone in the underground facility. This method mirrors previous high-level assassinations, most notably that of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In such strikes, the high volume of firepower is designed to ensure that anyone in the tunnels is either killed by the explosion or suffocated by the ensuing smoke and gases.
