Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has been confirmed dead by both Hamas and the Israeli military. Israel claims that Sinwar was killed during an operation, with the Israeli military stating they had positively identified his body on Thursday, following his death the previous day. Hamas confirmed Sinwar’s death on Friday evening. Iran’s delegation to the United Nations referred to Sinwar as a “martyr,” highlighting his role in the battlefield and claiming that his example would bolster the “spirit of resistance.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the mission noted how Sinwar’s visible presence on the battlefield, in combat attire and out in the open, rather than hiding, would inspire others to continue resisting. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported from Gaza on how Palestinians were reacting to the news. Even those who disagreed with Sinwar’s tactics viewed his death as honorable, seeing it as that of a warrior fighting against oppression. Throughout Israel’s year-long military campaign in Gaza, Sinwar had remained active, taking full leadership of Hamas following the assassination of its politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in July, an act widely attributed to Israel. Under his leadership, Hamas continued its military activities, launching attacks on Israeli targets while also maintaining civil administration within Gaza, despite being targeted by Israeli forces. Sinwar had long been a target of the Israeli military, with multiple previous reports of his capture or death later proven false. Israeli officials had accused him, alongside Mohammed Deif (the commander of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades) and Marwan Issa (Deif’s deputy), of orchestrating the October 7 attack on Israel. In February, the Israeli military shared images it claimed showed Sinwar and his family inside a tunnel complex in Khan Younis, reportedly taken just after the October 7 attack. Israeli spokesperson Daniel Hagari also revealed during a briefing that Israeli forces had captured and were interrogating several members of Sinwar’s family, as well as the families of other Hamas leaders. There have been numerous reports, including from the United Nations, accusing Israel of using torture during interrogations. Sinwar, along with Haniyeh and Deif, was under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes committed from at least October 7, 2023. All three have now been killed by the Israeli military. Remaining on the ICC’s list of individuals under investigation are Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Yahya Sinwar, also known as Abu Ibrahim, was born in 1962 in a refugee camp in Khan Younis. His family had been displaced during the 1948 Nakba. Originally from the Palestinian village of al-Majdal, their land was razed, and the Israeli town of Ashkelon was built in its place. Sinwar was first arrested in 1982, before the age of 20, by Israeli authorities for his involvement in Islamic activities. Daniel Byman, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, described Sinwar as a skilled leader, noting that his previous release as part of a prisoner exchange made him a significant figure for Israel. Analysts like Lovatt argue that while Sinwar was prominent in public, Deif was likely the true architect of the October 7 attack. However, Deif had not been seen publicly for years, and Israel claimed to have killed him in a July attack, although Hamas has yet to confirm his death. Before the assassination of Haniyeh, Sinwar was believed to have been involved in negotiations between Hamas and Israel regarding ceasefires and prisoner exchanges.