The Israel Defense Forces has reported that a unit from its 828th Bislamach Brigade was conducting a patrol in Tal al-Sultan, a region of Rafah, on Wednesday. Three militants were encountered and engaged by the Israeli troops, resulting in their elimination. Initially, the firefight did not seem out of the ordinary, and the soldiers did not return to the scene until Thursday morning. It was during this inspection of the deceased that one of the bodies was found to bear a striking resemblance to the leader of Hamas. Due to suspected booby traps, the body remained in place while a part of a finger was removed for testing in Israel. Later that day, the body was safely extracted and brought to Israel. Daniel Hagari, the IDF’s spokesman, mentioned that his forces were unaware of the leader’s presence but continued their operations. The troops had noticed the three men moving between houses and engaged them before they separated. The individual later identified as Sinwar entered a building alone and was located and killed with the help of a drone. Sinwar was not accompanied by the hostages he was believed to be using as human shields, indicating that he was either trying to move discreetly or had lost many of his protectors. Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, stated that Sinwar met his end while on the run and in a vulnerable state, emphasizing that he did not die as a leader but as someone solely concerned with his own well-being. This serves as a clear warning to all adversaries of Israel.
