On August 31, 2025, Hamas confirmed the death of its Gaza military leader, Mohammed Sinwar, killed in an Israeli airstrike on May 13, 2025. The Palestinian militant group announced the news, describing Sinwar as a “martyr,” without providing further details, as reported by Reuters. Israel’s claim of his elimination marked a significant moment in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Hamas’s confirmation came months after Israel announced that Mohammed Sinwar, a key commander, was killed in a targeted strike on a bunker beneath Gaza’s European Hospital in Khan Younis. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet stated that the attack, which killed 26 people according to the Gaza Health Ministry, targeted Sinwar and other Hamas operatives. Rafah Brigade commander Muhammad Shabana was also killed. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the strike’s success, per The Times of Israel.
🇵🇸🇮🇱 Footage released allegedly showing the moment Mohammad Sinwar was assassinated in an Israeli strike yesterday in the Gaza Strip.
Mohammed's brother Yahya Sinwar was killed last year. pic.twitter.com/F6xeG6zwbH
— The Daily News (@DailyNewsJustIn) May 14, 2025Mohammed Sinwar’s Role
Mohammed Sinwar, born in 1975 in Khan Younis, rose to lead Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, after the death of Muhammad Deif in July 2024. He became Gaza’s de facto Hamas leader following his brother Yahya Sinwar’s killing in October 2024. Israeli intelligence accused him of masterminding the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people. Sinwar’s elusive nature and strategic role made him a top target, with a $300,000 bounty on his head.
The Israel-Hamas conflict intensified after the October 2023 attack, with Israel launching a major offensive in Gaza, resulting in over 54,000 deaths, per the Gaza Health Ministry. Sinwar’s death, alongside other senior leaders like Ismail Haniyeh, weakens Hamas’s Gaza leadership. However, analysts suggest it may not alter the group’s strategy, as new leaders like Izz al-Din Haddad emerge, per Reuters. The strike’s timing, amid failed ceasefire talks, underscores ongoing tensions.
Read: Israel Uncovers Hamas Tunnel Under Gaza Hospital, Confirms Mohammed Sinwar’s Death
Hamas’s statement included images of Sinwar with other fallen leaders, emphasising his martyrdom. Israeli officials, including Katz, warned remaining Hamas leaders, stating, “You are next,”. The group’s resilience, with an estimated 20,000 fighters remaining, suggests that continued resistance is likely. The confirmation of Sinwar’s death may impact ceasefire negotiations, with Hamas maintaining a hardline stance.
