Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that his military has “eliminated” Hamas’s Gaza chief, Mohammed Sinwar. The 49-year-old was reportedly the target of a massive Israeli strike on May 13 at a European hospital in Khan Younis, which also killed at least 28 people.
Mohammed Sinwar, who joined Hamas shortly after its founding in the late 1980s and rose through the ranks to become commander of the Khan Younis Brigade, was believed to be one of the masterminds behind several attacks, including a 2006 cross-border attack that led to the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Netanyahu claimed Israel had achieved significant progress in its “War of Revival”, citing the elimination of Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, as well as the capture of tens of thousands of terrorists. However, critics have accused the government of exaggerating its achievements and failing to achieve key objectives, including the return of all hostages.
The international community has also condemned the killing of civilians in the strike. UN human rights chief Volker Türk described it as “tragic” and said Israel was bound by international law to spare civilian lives, even if it believed destroying underground structures offered a military advantage.
Netanyahu’s comments come amid ongoing tensions over the holding of 58 Israeli hostages by Hamas, with many families calling for their release.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79e72vz70no