Israel continues to publicize the decapitation of Hamas’ leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed two days earlier. The Israeli Defense Forces released on Friday footage captured by a drone that shows Sinwar’s final moments in life, providing a close look at the events that led to his death.
The clip, shared by the Israeli military and recorded by one of its drones, takes viewers into a ruined building in southern Gaza. Inside, a man lies on the floor, slumped in a chair, likely badly wounded. Though his face is obscured by a scarf, Israel has identified him as Sinwar, the mastermind behind the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
In a moment of the video lasting less than a minute, the drone closes in on its target. Sinwar reaches for a stick, raises his arm, and hurls it at the unmanned aircraft, which evades the blow. Soon after, the footage cuts away.
The spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, explained that after identifying the target, soldiers fired an additional projectile at the building, causing it to collapse. Sinwar and three other Hamas militants were believed to have died in the operation.
The police later confirmed that the identification was Sinwar, using DNA, dental records, and fingerprints recovered from his remains.
The release of the video comes amid ongoing hostilities and illustrates how drone imagery is used in modern warfare to document and communicate military actions. Reuters reported that officials emphasized the sequence of events and the confirmation processes used in this operation.
In the broader context, observers note that footage like this serves as a stark reminder of the continuing focus on Hamas leadership and the volatility of the conflict along Gaza’s border. The materials released by the authorities are part of a wider effort to provide public updates on high-profile targets and the outcomes of subsequent strikes.