Hamas confirms death of leader Yahya Sinwar, vows not to release hostages

Hamas has confirmed that its leader, Yahya Sinwar, responsible for the group's deadly cross-border raids in 2023, has been killed by Israel, according to Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy Gaza Hamas chief.

Sinwar’s death marks a significant blow to the group, which has been under relentless Israeli airstrikes since its attack on October 7, 2023, resulting in the death of 1,200 people, according to Israeli reports.

Sinwar, a key figure behind the October 7 attacks, had been evading Israeli assassination attempts since the war began. He had been Hamas' leader in Gaza since 2017 and took on an even more powerful role after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in July 2023. Sinwar, born in the Khan Younis refugee camp, spent years in Israeli prisons and was known for his hardline stance against Israel.

In the ongoing hostage crisis, Hamas has stated that it will not release any of the approximately 250 hostages taken during the October raids unless Israel halts its military operations in Gaza, withdraws from the region, and releases Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, reported AFP.

This stance was reiterated by Khalil al-Hayya, who made a public statement declaring that the hostages would only be freed once these conditions are met.