“He died as he lived – in the field”: Israel confirms that the head of Hamas, Muhammad Sinwar, killed on May 13; Body found inside the tunnel

On Sunday, Israeli Defense Forces (FDI) and the Shin Bet security agency confirmed that the body of Hamas, Muhammad Sinwar, had been found in a tunnel located under the European hospital of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.“Mohammad Sinwar was responsible for the death of countless civilians. He was eliminated in an FDI and Isa strike on May 13,” said FDI in an article on X. “His body was found under the European hospital of Khan Yunis – more evidence of how Sinwar and Hamas hide behind their civilians and deliberately incorporate themselves into civil zones, such as hospitals,” said the post, adding, “he died as he lived – under the field.”According to the army, the tunnel was used by Hamas as a command center, the Times of Israel reported.Israeli fighter planes bombed the city in the south of Gaza, Khan Younis, on May 13 to kill Muhammad Sinwar, one of the best leaders in Hamas in the enclave

The troops arrived at the hospital several days earlier and then recovered the body of Sinwar with the bodies of other members of Hamas, according to the report of the Times of Israel.The Israeli army said Sinwar had been killed in an Israeli strike on the tunnel on May 13. The same strike also killed Muhammad Shabana, commander of the Hamas Rafah brigade, and Mahdi Quara, commander of the group Battalion South Younis.The IDF added that he had found several elements belonging to Sinwar and Shabana inside the tunnel, including identity cards. The weapons have also been recovered.The FDI said that the identification process has confirmed that one of the bodies belongs to Sinwar, while the other bodies are still identified.Earlier in May, the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting Hamas and the Arab officials, that the meeting between Hamas leaders was required to talk about their position on cease-fire negotiations and a hostage agreement, among other subjects. After learning the rally, the Israeli Air Force began to prepare for a strike, according to the report of the Report of Israel. Higher officers thought it could be canceled in terms of concerns that hostages could be nearby, because Sinwar was known to keep them near.But once the information has shown that no hostage was near commanders, the Israeli Air Force was approved to carry out the attack. Jets were launched and the strike was executed.

Who was Muhammad Sinwar?

Muhammad Sinwar, a senior military figure in Hamas, was the younger brother of the former Hamas chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. He had been on the most sought after list of Israel for several months. Israeli officials said Sinwar had resisted efforts to negotiate an agreement with hostage and had blocked progress to a cease-fire. After the death of Muhammad Deif, the best military commander in Hamas, in July 2024, Sinwar resumed the group’s military operations. Yahya Sinwar had been made the head of Hamas in the general classification after Israel killed Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in the same month. When Yahya Sinwar was killed in combat in October 2024, Muhammad Sinwar became the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.