Israeli military strike
\nQatar-based Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya has confirmed the death of the leader in a video message
\n Gaza
\nPalestinian militant group Hamas on Friday confirmed its leader Yahya Sinwar had been killed by the Israeli military in Gaza, a day after Israel announced his death.
\n\u201cWe mourn the great leader, the martyred brother, Yahya Sinwar, Abu Ibrahim,\u201d Qatar-based Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said in a recorded video statement broadcast by Al Jazeera.
\nSinwar became Israel\u2019s most wanted man after the October 7, 2023 attack, the deadliest in Israeli history.
\nKhalil Hayya, adds that captives held in Gaza will not return until Israel stops its attacks on Gaza and withdraws its forces from the besieged enclave.
\nSpeaking in a televised address, Khalil Hayya spoke of \u201cthe memory of the fallen martyr, Yahya Sinwar\u201d.
\nDescribing him as \u201csteadfast, brave and intrepid\u201d, Hayya said Sinwar \u201csacrificed his life to the cause of our liberation\u201d.
\n\u201cHe met his end standing brave, with his head held high, holding his firearm, firing until the last breath, until the last moment of his life.
\n\u201c[Sinwar] has lived his whole life as a holy fighter. Since his early days, he was engaged in his struggle as a resistant fighter. He stood defiant behind Israeli bars and after his release in a swapped deal, he continued with his struggle and his dedication to the cause.\u201d
\nHayya added that Sinwar\u2019s \u201cmartyrdom\u201d and the leaders who preceded him \u201cwill only increase the strength and resilience of our movement\u201d.
\n\u201cThe occupation prisoners will not return unless the aggression on Gaza stops, there is a complete withdrawal from [Gaza], and our prisoners are released from the prisons,\u201d Hayya said. \u201cHamas will continue until the establishment of the Palestinian state on all Palestinian soil with Jerusalem as its capital.\u201d
\nIn his statement, Hayya said Hamas would not release the hostages it seized from Israel during the attack until the war in Gaza ends.
\nHayya said the Hamas would take strength from Sinwar\u2019s killing, which he said has set him among \u201cthe leaders and symbols of the movement who preceded him\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Israeli military strike Qatar-based Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya has confirmed the death of the leader in a video message Gaza Palestinian militant group Hamas on Friday confirmed its leader Yahya Sinwar had been killed by the Israeli military in Gaza, a day after Israel announced his death. \u201cWe mourn the great leader, the martyred brother, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":438124,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-438105","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n