Gunshot in head, finger chopped: What Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar’s autopsy shows

Yahya Sinwar, the 61-year-old leader of Hamas, was killed due to a gunshot wound in the head which caused severe bleeding, according a reports that cited a doctor that oversaw his autopsy. Sinwar was killed in an intelligence-based ground raid by Israeli forces in southern Gaza earlier this week.

The raid, conducted by the 828 Brigade of the Israel Ground Forces (IDF), resulted in Sinwar’s death from a gunshot wound to the head, according to Dr Chen Kugel, director of Israel’s national forensic institute.

Sinwar’s autopsy, conducted 24 to 36 hours after his death, revealed severe injuries, including a smashed forearm caused by shrapnel, likely from a small missile or tank shell. The Hamas leader attempted to stop the bleeding using an electrical cord, but it was ineffective, Dr. Kugel told CNN.

The report also states that Israeli troops cut off the Hamas leader’s finger to confirm his death.

One of the severed finger was then used for DNA testing, which matched the profile from Sinwar’s previous imprisonment in Israel from 1991 to 2011. Videos circulating on social media show Israeli soldiers near Sinwar’s body, with one finger visibly removed.

Consequences of Yahya Sinwar’s Death

Sinwar’s death marks a significant blow to Hamas, which has lost several top leaders, including former chief Ismail Haniyeh, assassinated in July. Israel hopes that Sinwar’s death will lead to the return of hostages held in Gaza. However, Sinwar’s deputy, Khalil Al-Hayya, vowed that hostages would not be released until Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza and the conflict ends.

Hamas is seeking a new political leader based outside Gaza, while Sinwar’s brother, Mohammad, is expected to assume a key role in directing the war against Israel. The Shura Council, Hamas’s top decision-making body, will appoint a new leader, continuing the organization’s history of swiftly replacing fallen leaders.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the killing of Sinwar and said his death could be the “beginning of the end” to the conflict.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant remained defiant in the wake of the killing, saying Israel would “pursue every terrorist and eliminate them” and bring back the hostages still held in Gaza.