Mohammad Sinwar, Hamas’s Gaza military commander, was found dead by IDF forces in a tunnel beneath a hospital, underscoring the militant group’s use of civilian infrastructure for military purposes.
At a Glance
- The IDF discovered Sinwar’s body 8 meters beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis and confirmed his identity via DNA.
- The underground complex included weapons, explosives, maps, plans, and likely evidence of hostage confinement.
- Sinwar was killed in an airstrike on May 13, after reportedly using tunnels under the hospital as a command center.
- Hospital staff had been ordered to evacuate prior to the strike, which Israeli sources say killed 26 people.
- This operation intensifies the debate over Hamas’s alleged use of hospitals for military purposes and Israel’s targeted response.
Discovery and Confirmation
The Israeli military announced on June 8 that it had retrieved the body of Mohammad Sinwar from a tunnel beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis. The body was confirmed through DNA testing. Sinwar, brother of Hamas’s top leader Yahya Sinwar, was a senior commander in the group’s military wing and had reportedly taken refuge in a fortified underground compound during Israeli operations in southern Gaza.
Inside the tunnel, Israeli forces discovered a weapons cache and documents including explosives, IDF weapons, currency, and operational plans—evidence Israeli officials claim supports longstanding accusations that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure for its military efforts.
Context of the Airstrike
Sinwar was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike on May 13 that targeted the bunker beneath the hospital. According to Gaza health officials, the strike killed 26 people. The IDF stated that hospital personnel and patients had received prior evacuation orders, and no medical staff were harmed during the operation.
Watch a report: Video shows tunnels under hospital where Sinwar was found.
Implications and Controversy
The tunnel discovery and the recovery of Sinwar’s body have renewed focus on Hamas’s military strategy and its alleged use of civilian structures for cover. The IDF contends that this operation substantiates claims of military infrastructure embedded in hospitals, which it argues is a deliberate tactic by Hamas to deter Israeli strikes and generate international backlash.
While Israel defends the precision strike as a necessary and justified action against a high-value target, humanitarian organizations and international observers have urged independent investigations into potential violations of international law and the proportionality of force used near medical facilities.
The presence of a senior Hamas figure beneath a European-funded hospital further complicates international aid dynamics in Gaza. European governments may now face increasing scrutiny over the potential misuse of funds in conflict zones, especially where civilian infrastructure is weaponized by armed groups.
