Israel Confirms Identification of Hamas Leader Sinwar's Body

Tue Jan 13 2026 03:56:26 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The IDF announces the discovery of Mohammed Sinwar's body in a Gaza tunnel, escalating ongoing tensions.

The Israeli military has identified the body of Mohammed Sinwar, a key Hamas leader, found in a tunnel beneath a hospital in Khan Younis. His death, reportedly in a May air strike, has not been confirmed by Hamas as the conflict intensifies amid widespread humanitarian concerns.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have reported the identification of the body of Mohammed Sinwar, the military leader of the Palestinian armed group Hamas, found in a tunnel located underneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis. This discovery was made public by the IDF on Sunday, with confirmation of his identity achieved through DNA testing, although Hamas has yet to officially acknowledge his death.

Sinwar, aged 49, was purportedly killed during an air strike on May 13, an incident that was stated to have resulted in the deaths of 28 individuals and injuries to many others, according to the Hamas-run civil defense agency. The IDF confirmed that Sinwar’s body was discovered alongside that of Mohammad Sabaneh, the commander of Hamas's Rafah Brigade, and additional intelligence findings were obtained from the site, which are under investigation.

Notably, a small group of foreign journalists were taken by the IDF to view the tunnel where the bodies were found. A video was released showing the entrance of the tunnel, characterized as a long, narrow corridor leading to various rooms. Brigadier General Effie Defrin of the IDF commented that this discovery illustrates Hamas's alleged manipulation of civilian structures for military purposes.

The claims against Hamas assert that the group misuses hospitals as facilities for military operations, a stance that is firmly denied by Hamas officials. The Israeli military actions targeting such infrastructure have drawn significant international scrutiny, with humanitarian crises reported in Gaza as hospitals face devastation and medical staff are placed in perilous conditions.

September's military operations followed a catastrophic cross-border assault on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 were reported killed and around 251 taken hostage. Since then, the situation in Gaza has deteriorated, with a staggering humanitarian toll of at least 54,880 fatalities reported by the Hamas-run health ministry amid the continuing conflict.

Sinwar had been involved with Hamas since its inception in the late 1980s, rising through the ranks to become a commander within the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades. His role included connections to notable figures within Hamas, including previous military chief Mohammed Deif, and he was implicated in orchestrating the assault on October 7. His brother and former leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, was reportedly killed by Israeli forces in October.