Israel targets Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar in hospital strike in Gaza, sources say

In a deadly airstrike Tuesday, Israel targeted a top Hamas commander, Mohammed Sinwar, during a bombardment on a hospital in southern Gaza. A senior Israeli official and two sources close to the operation confirmed the target. The strike hit the European Hospital in Khan Younis, killing 28 Palestinians and injuring over 50, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Sinwar took leadership after his brother Yahya Sinwar died in an Israeli operation last October. Israeli military sources believe Mohammed Sinwar plays a critical role in Hamas’ operations and had helped plan the October 7 attacks on Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the strike aimed at Hamas terrorists using underground command centers beneath the hospital. They did not officially name Sinwar as the target.

Multiple strikes tore through the hospital’s courtyard. Dr. Saleh Al Hams, head of nursing, described the scene as a “catastrophe.” He said some victims remained trapped under rubble. Video footage showed plumes of smoke rising, marking one of the most intense attacks in recent weeks.

One woman at the hospital during the attack recounted the chaos. “Explosions came from every direction,” she told the UK-based Medical Aid for Palestinians. “Smoke, fire, rubble, sand everywhere. My mother collapsed on the floor. Shrapnel was flying all around us… The terror was beyond words.”

The hospital suffered extensive damage. Water and sewage systems were hit. Ambulances couldn’t reach emergency departments, and a bulldozer clearing rubble was struck in a follow-up attack. “We will be forced to close most of the hospital’s departments,” said Marwan al-Hams, Director General of Field Hospitals in Gaza.

Muneer Alboursh, director general at the Gaza Health Ministry, condemned the strike. “If this footage came from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, or St. Thomas in London, the world would be on fire,” he said. “But it was the European Hospital in Gaza – even its name couldn’t protect it.”

The Gaza Civil Defense reported three more people were killed while heading to the hospital on Wednesday.

Hamas denied Israeli claims about Sinwar. “Only the Palestinian resistance can confirm or deny such news,” the group said in a statement.

Tuesday night, Gaza militants launched three rockets at Israel. The IDF intercepted two. The third fell in an open area. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, saying they targeted Israeli cities near Gaza.

Israel later issued evacuation warnings for the Jabalya refugee camp and nearby areas. The IDF said it would “strike and operate in every location from which rockets are fired.”

The strike came just a day after Hamas released Israeli-American Edan Alexander as a goodwill gesture to the U.S. The move sidelined Israel from the negotiations. A new round of talks is expected to take place in Doha with former President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff leading the U.S. delegation.

Yet, with Sinwar possibly eliminated, a major complication has emerged. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro told CNN, “There is little chance the war can end before he dies. His removal could open the door for the release of all hostages.”

Mohammed Sinwar, once commander of the Khan Younis Brigade, has stayed underground since the war began. Israel claims he has played a key role in Hamas’ leadership and was instrumental in October’s attack. In past months, IDF said it had found his tunnel routes and office in western Khan Younis.

Despite the targeting, Israel has not confirmed Sinwar's death. In similar past cases, such as with Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, official confirmation took weeks. Hamas delayed confirming Deif’s death for six months.

Sinwar’s brother, Yahya, had long been Israel’s main target. He rose through Hamas ranks after his release in a 2011 prisoner exchange. Yahya used tunnels and evaded electronic surveillance, but Israeli forces found his body earlier this year after a firefight in Rafah.

With the focus shifting to Mohammed Sinwar, analysts say the move signals Israel’s intent to dismantle Hamas’ top leadership. But it also risks escalating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where civilians and critical infrastructure continue to suffer amid the ongoing war.

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