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Defense officials at odds over possible Sinwar death

Gillberg
Defense officials at odds over possible Sinwar death

The Israeli military said Sunday it could neither confirm nor deny reports of the possible death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Among the sources consulted by The Jerusalem Post, one senior source cast a chill on the idea, another source – who should have information – said he had no real information on the matter, while others noted disagreements within the defense establishment.

No source has referred to any specific assassination operation carried out by the IDF to kill him.

Part of the debate might instead revolve around the idea that he lost contact with his intermediaries who handled negotiations and messages about the hostages – and who lost contact for a longer period than usual.

It is also possible that some Israeli officials are trying to use psychological warfare against mid-level Hamas commanders to get them to make deals of their own to obtain immunity if they return the Israeli hostages they are holding.

Palestinian Hamas activists take part in a rally to mark the 35th anniversary of the founding of Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip December 14, 2022. (REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA)

The reports circulated late Sunday evening.

In December, numerous reports leaked that Sinwar was dead or injured, had fled to Sinai, or was otherwise cut off from his network and no longer in command.

It later turned out that he had simply lost contact as part of his cover-up tactics, or that all the rumors were psychological warfare aimed at cracking Hamas after Khan Younis began to fall to the IDF.



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