Hamas leader Mohamed Sinwar, whose elimination was confirmed by the IDF on Wednesday, was considered a top target by the Shin Bet and IDF due to his involvement in planning dozens of attacks against Israel and the IDF, his senior role in planning and executing the October 7 massacre, his hawkish stance in the war against Israel, and his staunch refusal to advance hostage release deals, Maariv reported on Wednesday.

Sinwar, like other senior Hamas figures, resided in compounds where hostages were being held, using them as human shields. More and more released hostages have testified that they were held near senior Hamas officials, primarily the brothers, Mohamed and Yahya Sinwar.

In the weeks before the elimination, Sinwar hardened his position, vehemently opposing the advancement of negotiations, leading to a crisis with other senior figures in the organization. At the same time, Trump administration officials began to act “over Sinwar’s head,” holding talks with senior Hamas figures abroad, who ordered Sinwar and his men to release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander.

According to sources in Gaza, this order unnerved Sinwar, and he was furious that he was forced to carry out the order. According to the report, that’s when he made the mistake that may have cost him his life, a mistake that also appears to have led to the collapse of Hamas’s military wing.

Sinwar requested to hold a secret meeting with all senior officials. The meeting took place in a tunnel under the European Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, parts of which housed the headquarters of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade. No hostages were being held in the vicinity, and Israel identified a window of opportunity for action.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz quickly acted to approve an attack plan, which included aerial bombardment using dozens of munitions on the tunnel entrances, ending the life of the arch-terrorist and other senior terrorists.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)