From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 17, 2024
IDF probing whether Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed by troops in Gaza
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
The IDF says it is investigating the possibility that one of three terrorists killed by troops in Gaza was Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
“At this time, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed,” the IDF says in a statement.
The army notes that there were no hostages present in the area where the three terrorists were killed. There had been reports that Sinwar had been hiding among hostages, using them as human shields.
“The IDF and Shin Bet forces operating in the area continue to operate under the necessary caution,” the army adds.
The IDF issues its statement after rumors relating to the incident began spreading widely online.
Channel 12 reports that troops opened fire on a group of terrorists on the ground floor of a building in an incident that began yesterday. When they subsequently entered the building, they realized that one of the dead terrorists “looked very much like” Sinwar.
The TV report says it is anticipated that a firm identification will take a few hours, and that a sample from the body that may be that of Sinwar will be taken for DNA testing.
The Times of Israel Community.