Reports: Al-Sinwar killed in accidental encounter with Israeli army

The Hamas leader in Gaza, Yehya al-Sinwar, was reportedly killed in what was a rather accidental encounter with Israeli soldiers.

Various Israeli media reported that the forces were carrying out an operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. They reported that a confrontation occurred with al-Sinwar and two other armed Palestinians. It was only after his death that the soldiers noticed the resemblance to the Hamas leader.

The deceased men were found carrying large amounts of cash and fake passports. Al-Sinwar was reportedly wearing a vest with hand grenades.

The Israeli army confirmed that soldiers from the 828th Brigade had killed three terrorists in the south of the Gaza Strip. They said they had intensified operations in the southern part of the coastal strip in recent weeks because intelligence information had suggested that senior Hamas members might be hiding there.