According to the Wall Street Journal, the meeting involved a number of senior militants, including Rafah brigade commander Mohammad Shabana, and violated the groups’ own security protocols.
Sources told the outlet that terrorists recovered his body in the subsequent days and buried him, with a plan to move him to a permanent grave at the end of the war.
Israel had, until now, declined to confirm the reports but Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu made the official announcement during a press briefing. It is not clear whether Shabana was also killed.
Sinwar’s death leaves Hamas without a formal leader in Gaza and, with no de facto successor apparent, could spark chaos within the group, which was largely decentralised before Yahya took over in 2017.
The Journal’s report suggest that it may also present an opportunity for Hamas’ political leadership, which is based in Qatar, to reassert control.
The two factions have become increasingly divided over the course of the war, with the Doha-based contingent understood to be far more receptive to compromise in ceasefire negotiations than their militant counterparts in Gaza.
