The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Mohammed Sinwar, a senior Hamas commander and head of the group’s military wing in Gaza, was killed in an airstrike on May 13. The strike targeted an underground Hamas command center beneath the European Hospital in southern Gaza. The Israeli military said Hamas used the hospital as a cover, putting civilians in danger.
Mohammed Sinwar was 49 years old and played a key role in planning the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which escalated the conflict between the two sides. Along with Sinwar, two other senior Hamas commanders died in the strike. Muhammad Shabana led Hamas’s Rafah brigade, and Mahdi Quara was head of the Khan Younis battalion. Both were involved in attacks on Israeli forces, including managing hostages and launching rocket fire.
Gaza health officials reported that at least six people died and 40 were injured in the airstrike. Hamas has not officially confirmed Sinwar’s death. Mohammed Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, a former Hamas leader who was killed in fighting with the Israeli army in October 2024.
On the same day, the Israeli military reported rockets fired from Gaza that landed near the southern Israeli communities of Ein Hashlosha and Nirim. No casualties were reported. Israeli media said three rockets were fired.
Gaza health authorities say the death toll from Israel’s military campaign since October 7 has reached 54,381 with 124,054 wounded. Since fighting resumed on March 18, 4,117 people have been killed and 12,013 injured.
The October 7 attack by Hamas marked a significant escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel’s airstrikes aim to weaken Hamas by targeting its military leadership and infrastructure. The use of civilian areas for military operations continues to raise concerns over the safety of civilians in Gaza.
