Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted Wednesday that Mohammad Sinwar, the brother of late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the group’s current Gaza chief was killed in an alleged strike earlier this month.
Hamas has not confirmed the claim, which follows Netanyahu’s May 21 suggestion that Sinwar "likely died" in an attack on a southern Gaza hospital.
The announcement came during a Knesset speech where Netanyahu framed the unverified death as part of Israel’s "dramatic turn towards defeating Hamas."
The reported strike targeting Sinwar hit a medical facility in southern Gaza, part of a pattern of Israeli attacks on healthcare infrastructure. At least 37 patients and displaced civilians died in the May 15 assault, according to Gaza health officials. Israel provided no evidence linking Sinwar to the hospital, nor proof of his death which is a recurring pattern in unsubstantiated claims about eliminating Hamas leaders.
Netanyahu simultaneously announced Israel is "taking control of food distribution," referencing a U.S.-backed aid mechanism replacing UNRWA. Aid groups warn the move exacerbates famine conditions, with only 107 trucks entering Gaza daily, barely 20% of needs. Meanwhile, Israel’s renewed offensive since March has killed over 3,785 Palestinians, bringing the total death toll to 54,000, per Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Mohammad Sinwar rose after Israel killed his brother Yahya in 2023 and predecessor Ismail Haniyeh in April 2025. Analysts note Israel’s targeted assassinations historically strengthen Palestinian resolve, with new leaders emerging organically from local resistance networks. Hamas maintains operational continuity despite losing several figures, adapting to Israel’s siege tactics.