Fate of Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar unclear following Israeli strike
The strike was reportedly executed rapidly, with bunker-busting bombs, and Palestinian reports say it killed 16 people
People check a bus inside a crater on May 14, 2025, in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. (Getty)
(JTA) — An Israeli strike attempted to kill Mohammed Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza and brother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, though his fate remains unclear.
In the strike on Tuesday, Israel bombed the European Hospital in Khan Younis, based on intelligence that Sinwar was hiding in a tunnel underneath the hospital. The strike was reportedly executed rapidly, with bunker-busting bombs, and Palestinian reports say it killed 16 people.
The strike came as President Donald Trump is visiting the Middle East, though he does not plan to stop in Israel.
Since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Israel has searched and struck across Gaza and the Middle East to hunt down its leadership.
Last July, Israel killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a hotel in Iran. That attack came two weeks after Israel killed Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, whose death remained unconfirmed for some time after the bombing. And last October, Israel killed Yahya Sinwar in a firefight.
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
