 "WATCH: From missing arm to staring contest with drone, the final moments of Yahya Sinwar")
Hours after it confirmed the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) released an edited drone video showing what they called the final moments of Sinwar. The 62-year-old was one of the main targets of Israel after it was revealed that he was the mastermind of the October 7 attacks in the Jewish nation last year.
The footage shared by the IDF was shot by an Israeli drone which purports to show Sinwar - possibly wounded and missing his right hand - sitting in a chair on the upper floor of a ruined building just before his death.
Interestingly, the person who IDF is referring to as Sinwar had his face covered and was seen staring at the drone before appearing to throw an object at it. The video was released shortly after Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that officials could confirm Sinwar’s death only after DNA tests along with other checks, like dental records.
“The elimination of Sinwar creates an opportunity for the immediate release of the hostages and a potential change that could lead to a new reality in Gaza - without Hamas and without Iranian control,” the Israeli foreign minister averred.
Raw footage of Yahya Sinwar’s last moments: pic.twitter.com/GJGDlu7bie
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) October 17, 2024
Hamas in disarray after Sinwar’s death
Before Sinwar’s death was confirmed, multiple photographs circulated online claiming to show the Hamas leader’s dead body. “During IDF operations in Gaza, three terrorists were eliminated…” IDF said right before confirming Sinwar’s death.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of hostages in the area. The forces that are operating in the area are continuing to operate with required caution,” he added. Meanwhile, Hamas has not yet officially commented on the reports.
It is pertinent to note that Sinwar took over the full leadership of Hamas following the death of Hamas’ political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. The 62-year-old Hamas leader was believed to have been hiding in the network of tunnels beneath Gaza since the militant group’s attack on Israel last year.
Major win, but not the end
While Israel is considering Sinwar’s death as a major win in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the Jewish nation made it clear that it is not the end of the ravaging war.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he had “settled the score with him”. However, he insisted the war would continue - not least to save the 101 hostages still held by Hamas. “To the dear hostage families, I say: this is an important moment in the war. We will continue full force until all your loved ones, our loved ones, are home,” the Israeli premier said in the Thursday address.
Meanwhile, the families of the hostages believed that a ceasefire could now be reached that would bring home the captives.
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