Mohammed Sinwar Reportedly Eliminated in IDF Strike on Meeting of Top Hamas Leadership

Latest Developments

• Sinwar Gathered With Hamas Leaders in Underground Tunnel: Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Mohammed Sinwar, was reportedly killed earlier this month while attending a meeting of the Iran-backed terrorist group’s top leadership. According to The Wall Street Journal, Sinwar and other key Hamas figures had gathered in an underground tunnel in Khan Yunis to discuss the ongoing war in Gaza when they were hit by an Israeli airstrike. The report stated that Sinwar was “quietly buried days later,” noting as well that the convening of the meeting “went against Hamas’s wartime security protocols and created an opening for Israel to hit several high-value targets at once.”
• ‘Shadow’ Sinwar Had Reputation for Caution: Also killed in the strike was Mohammad Shabana, the commander of the Hamas brigade in the southern city of Rafah. Anonymous Hamas officials cited by the Journal assessed that the strike “demonstrated Israel’s significant intelligence capability,” pointing out that Sinwar — whose nickname was “Shadow” — “was known to be particular about keeping a low profile, and only a handful of people usually knew about his movements or how to contact him.” Sinwar ascended to the top leadership position of Hamas in Gaza following the elimination of his brother, Yahya — one of the main architects of the October 7, 2023, atrocities in Israel — in an IDF operation in October 2024.
• Sinwar Among ‘Tens of Thousands’ of Eliminated Terrorists: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu similarly assessed that Mohammed Sinwar had been killed during remarks at a May 21 press conference. ⁠”We eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists,” Netanyahu stated. “We eliminated the leaders of the murderers [Mohammed] Deif, [Ismail] Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and it appears we also eliminated Mohammed Sinwar.” IDF strikes on Gaza, meanwhile, continued overnight, with a currency exchange office in Gaza City known for transferring millions of dollars to Hamas and Islamic Jihad among the targets.

FDD Expert Response

“Hamas’s original wartime high command has been significantly degraded. This attrition has impaired the group’s organizational effectiveness and its ability to coordinate operations within the Gaza Strip. While a small number of senior figures remain at large, including Izz al-Din al-Haddad — the commander of the Gaza Brigade and a likely successor to Muhammad Sinwar — their continued evasion is likely temporary. As demonstrated in both the current war and in previous conflicts, senior Hamas leaders rarely retain their positions indefinitely under sustained Israeli military pressure.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“The elimination of Muhammad Sinwar and other top Hamas officials demonstrates that the IDF can secure important wins in Gaza and that the fight isn’t simply a slog. If Hamas releases all remaining hostages, the end of the war could be in sight. But that will require the terrorist group to stop marching Palestinians to their deaths.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“‘All of Hamas, Out!’ Gazans Reignite Anti-Hamas Protests,” FDD Flash Brief

“Large Minority Wants to Leave Gaza as Hamas Popularity Declines, New Poll of Palestinians Finds,” FDD Flash Brief

“Hamas ‘Arrow Unit’ Unveils its Machinery of Repression in Gaza,” by Joe Truzman