Israel's Chief Of Military Staff Admits The Death Of Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar Was Unintentionally

JAKARTA - Israeli Staff Kelapa Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi admitted that the attack that killed Palestinian Militant Group Leader Hamas Yahya Sinwar in Gaza was not a previously planned operation.

"Sinwar's murder was not previously planned," he said on his way to northern Gaza, according to a statement from the IDF.

According to the IDF Chief of Staff, the presence of the 450th Brigade unit, whose troops killed Sinwar, was also not previously planned in the area, he said.

"They don't know who they shot," said Lt. Gen. Halevi.

However, he also stressed that the killing of the Hamas leader did not happen completely by chance, as it did after constant pressure on militant groups by the Israel Defense Forces.

"It didn't happen by chance. It's a methodical work, the result of pressure on Rafah, the result of eliminating the brigade (Hamas) in Rafah," said Lt. Gen. Halevi.

"This is also the result of the regional command (work), which insists on deploying more troops during this holiday month (the traditional Jewish holiday lasts almost throughout October this fall), moving forward, maintaining operational control over the region," he explained.

"This is a methodical work, not a coincidence," he said.

Earlier, Israel Defense Forces announced on October 17 that it had crippled three militants in Gaza the day before, and one of them could be Hamas leaders.

The IDF confirmed a few hours later that one of the bodies was indeed identified as Sinwar. Israel considers him one of the main perpetrators of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Later, Palestinian militant group Hamas confirmed the death of the late Ismail Haniyeh on October 18.