Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the main mastermind of the 2023 cross-border attacks that became the deadliest day in Israel‘s history, was killed by a gunshot wound to the head, Israeli specialist Dr. Chen Kugel, who assisted in the autopsy on his body, told The New York Times.
According to Dr. Kugel, Sinwar had previously been hit by shrapnel, possibly from a small missile or tank shell, which had severely damaged his arm.Despite his attempts to stop the bleeding using an electrical cord as a makeshift tourniquet, Dr. Kugel stated, ” But it wouldn’t have worked in any case … It wasn’t strong enough, and his forearm was smashed.”
While talking with CNN, an IDF spokesperson on Dr. Kugel’s findings said that there was an exchange of gunfire and that the combat ended with the Israeli military firing a tank shell at the building. The Israeli military is still working to learn all of the details of the event, the spokesperson said.
“It is based on what I found on the body,” Dr. Kugel said. “He has injury from other sources, like a missile injury in his right forearm, fallen masonry on his left leg, or thigh, and many shrapnels that entered his body, but only in the chest. They caused severe damage, but the cause of death is the gunshot wound in the head.”
When asked about Sinwar’s approximate time of death, Dr. Kugel told CNN that it was likely late afternoon on Wednesday — more than 24 hours before his body arrived at the institute late Thursday night, he said.
Finger cut off for DNA testing
The pathologist informed CNN that the Hamas chief Sinwar’s finger was amputated and sent for DNA analysis to confirm his identity when Israeli forces discovered him on Wednesday.
Dr. Kugel said, “After the laboratory made the profile, we compared it with the profile that Sinwar had in the term that he was serving here as a prisoner, so then we could identify him finally by his DNA.”
Before his release in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange for an Israeli soldier, Sinwar had been incarcerated in Israeli prisons for over twenty years. Dr. Kugel mentioned that they initially attempted to identify him using dental records from photographs, but the method was not sufficiently reliable.
The remains of the Hamas leader were transported to the Tel Aviv forensic center at 9:30 pm (local time). on Thursday, where a comprehensive DNA analysis was conducted. According to Dr. Kugel, the examination provided definitive confirmation that the body was indeed that of Sinwar, with a certainty level of 100%.
Several aspects of the incident remain unclear, such as the identity of the shooter, the timing of the shot, and the weapon used.
Hamas confirms death of Sinwar
In a televised eulogy on Friday, Khalil al-Hayya, Sinwar’s long-time deputy, confirmed his death but emphasized that it had not altered Hamas’ stance or its conflict with Israel.
“We mourn the great leader, the martyred brother, Yahya Sinwar, Abu Ibrahim,” Qatar-based Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said in a video statement.
On Israeli hostages, Hayya said, “The 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.”
“Hamas will continue until the establishment of the Palestinian state on all Palestinian soil with Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.
Who is the next Hamas chief?
The death of Yahya Sinwar has created a leadership vacuum within the Palestinian terrorist organization. Various reports on Friday speculated about potential candidates who could step into the role.
According to a Hamas source who spoke to the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, discussions are underway within the group to choose a new leader. A senior Hamas official told the same newspaper that Sinwar’s death would significantly impact the Gaza-ruling terror group, which is now entering “a new stage,” as reported by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster.
Other sources suggested that with Sinwar’s absence, the remaining leaders based abroad will now carry out decision-making within Hamas. This power dynamics shift could accelerate long-stalled negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal.
However, sources within the Israeli defense establishment are skeptical about the possibility of anyone successfully filling Sinwar’s shoes, according to Times of Israel citing a report on Israel’s Walla website.