Israel is investigating whether Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in recent Gaza operations, though this is considered unlikely. The Shin Bet believes Sinwar is still alive, noting he has vanished before. Sinwar has been hiding since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which he reportedly orchestrated, but no evidence confirms his death.
The investigation stems from a report by Israeli journalist Ben Caspit, who suggested that military intelligence is probing the claim that Sinwar was killed during recent Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) operations in Gaza. Caspit quoted sources saying that Sinwar has not been in contact with anyone outside of his organization for an extended period, fueling speculation about his status.
Despite the rumors, Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, has rejected the notion that Sinwar is dead. According to the Walla news site, Shin Bet officials believe that Sinwar is still alive. A source close to the investigation mentioned that there have been instances in the past when Sinwar disappeared from public view, leading to similar speculations about his death, only for him to later reappear.
Israeli journalist Barak Ravid also commented on the report, stating that two Israeli officials with direct knowledge of the matter indicated there is no positive intelligence suggesting that Sinwar is dead. “It’s all hopes and guesses based on the fact that Sinwar has been incommunicado in recent weeks,” one official told Ravid.
Yahya Sinwar, a high-ranking leader of Hamas, is considered one of the organization’s most influential figures. He has been hiding in the Gaza Strip’s network of tunnels since the October 7 attack, which Israel has attributed to his planning.
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