Who is Mohammed Sinwar? The Hamas Gaza leader Israel claims it killed
Mohammed Sinwar: Israel claims to have killed senior Hamas commander
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Mohammed Sinwar, a senior commander in Hamas' armed wing, has been killed, though Hamas has not confirmed this.
- Mohammed Sinwar is the brother of Yahya Sinwar, a Hamas leader who Israel says helped plan the October 7, 2023, attack; Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces in October 2024.
- Mohammed Sinwar's death could complicate ongoing efforts by the U.S. and Arab nations to negotiate a ceasefire, as he would have been central to any hostage release agreement.
- Netanyahu mentioned the killing of Mohammed Sinwar in a speech before parliament, listing him among other top Hamas leaders killed during the war, including Mohammed Deif, Ismail Haniyeh, and Yahya Sinwar.
- Mohammed Sinwar was born in 1975 in Khan Younis refugee camp and joined Hamas in the late 1980s, rising to become a member of its military wing's joint chiefs of staff and was involved in the 2006 capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit.