The Israeli army announced that the body of Mohammad Sinwar was found in a tunnel under a European hospital in Gaza. "Hamas" has not yet officially confirmed this news.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on May 13, 2024, that Mohammad Sinwar, the military leader of the "Hamas" movement, was killed as a result of an air strike in the city of Khan Younis in the south of Gaza. His body was recently found in a hidden tunnel running under the European Hospital. According to Israel, Sinwar's identity was confirmed through DNA analysis.
Also, in the tunnel, the body of Mohammad Sabaneh, the commander of "Hamas"'s Rafah brigade, was found. Along with them, several weapons, intelligence documents, and personal belongings were discovered. The identity of other bodies found in the tunnel is currently being determined.
The "IDF" showed this tunnel to foreign journalists. It is located opposite the European Hospital and consists of narrow underground passages. Video footage shows rooms, clothing, chairs, and assault rifles leaned against the wall. Another clip shows a body being extracted from the tunnel with the help of a rope.
According to Brigadier General Efi Defrin, a spokesperson for the "IDF", this incident is another indication of "Hamas" using civilian infrastructure for military purposes.
"Using hospitals, schools, and other civilian buildings, they are deliberately violating international law," says Defrin.
Hospitals Targeted
"Hamas" continuously denies allegations of using hospitals as military bases. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, also emphasized in April 2024, following an attack on the Al-Ahli Hospital, that hospitals and patients should be protected under international humanitarian law.
However, in practice, the health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed. Many hospitals have ceased operations, leaving hundreds of patients without access to necessary treatments.
Who was Sinwar?
Muhammad Sinwar joined the ranks of "Hamas" in the 1980s. He led the brigade in Khan Younis for many years and was known as a close person to Muhammad Deif, one of the movement's military leaders. The Israeli intelligence suggested that Sinwar might have been involved in planning the attack on October 7, 2023.
His brother, Yahya Sinwar, was the political leader of "Hamas". He was killed by Israeli special forces in October 2023.
Wars and Numbers
On October 7, 2023, Israel reported that 1,200 civilians were killed and 251 people were taken hostage in an attack orchestrated by "Hamas". Following these events, the Israeli army initiated a wide-scale attack on Gaza.
According to the latest official information from the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least 54,880 people have been killed since the beginning of the war.
The Israeli side is presenting Sinwar's death and the tunnel operation as a success of its strategy.
