In Gaza, the body of one of Hamas’s top commanders was found in a tunnel
Recent events in the Gaza Strip have confirmed the worst — the dead body of Mohammed Sinwar, one of the most important commanders of Hamas’s military wing, was discovered in the labyrinthine underground tunnels beneath the enclave. According to sources from international media, including The Times of Israel citing the Saudi channel Al-Hadath, the discovery was made as part of a large-scale intelligence and military operation conducted by Israeli forces. The exact date of the find and the circumstances of his death are currently under discussion, but it is known that during recent rocket strikes by the Israeli army in Gaza, the chief commander of the militant wing was eliminated. Preliminary reports indicate that at least ten of Sinwar’s aides, who were likely nearby in the tunnel during the strike, lost their lives alongside him. Additionally, sources also mention the possible death of another high-ranking leader—Mohammad Shabani, who led one of the group’s brigades and, according to intelligence reports, was killed in the same attack. There has been no official confirmation of this information yet, and Israel has refrained from commenting on possible leadership losses within Hamas. According to reports, the strikes on the underground command center were carried out by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) using aircraft targeting the site located beneath the European Hospital, which, according to intelligence data, served as cover for the main base and headquarters of the militants at this moment. The operation aimed to eliminate group leaders hiding in this zone and was part of a larger campaign to increase pressure on Hamas following a series of rocket attacks by militants in retaliation for actions by the Israeli military. Mohammed Sinwar played a key role in Hamas’s foreign policy initiatives and in commanding its military wing. He is the younger brother of the former Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli special forces in October of last year. After the elimination of his older brother, Mohammed quickly took his place, becoming the de facto leader of the militant elite in the sector. He was regarded as one of the most resilient figures in negotiations regarding hostage releases, as well as one of the main obstacles to ceasefire agreements due to his stubbornness. Furthermore, Sinwar was also a constant target of investigation and international searches for activities considered terrorist—he was involved in numerous attacks, preparations, and funding of operations against Israel since the 1990s. His biography includes periods of imprisonment: nine months in an Israeli prison and three years in the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority’s police investigative units in Ramallah, from which he escaped in 2000, marking the start of an even more active role in Hamas. The background of this escalation began a few days ago when Israeli military forces struck a Hamas command center located beneath a hospital in Gaza. Reports suggested that one of the main leaders of Hamas—Mohammed Sinwar—was the target, and he was believed to be hiding in that underground facility. It is also noted that following the bombing, Israeli forces conducted several additional airstrikes in the area to prevent any possibility of recovery or tunneling operations used for sheltering militants and transmitting information. The significance of this event goes beyond the mere elimination of a commander. Mohammed Sinwar has remained a symbol of Hamas’s internal resilience, and his death could significantly influence the course of the conflict and the communication dynamics between Israeli authorities and the group in Gaza. The losses of such scale within the terrorist organization raise serious concerns about the potential escalation of violence and the spiraling of hostilities. Local authorities and military officials are cautiously commenting on this news, but it is already evident that the elimination of Sinwar is another step in a large-scale operation aimed at isolating and weakening Hamas, designed to undermine the group’s ability to coordinate its military actions and support. The events in Gaza continue to unfold, and the international community is closely monitoring the situation, as the outcome will influence either escalation or de-escalation of the conflict. For now, the situation remains tense, with all parties preparing for a possible new phase of fighting.