Who was Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader that Israel killed?

Yahya Sinwar planned an attack on Israel that shocked the world, triggering a growing catastrophe with no end in sight.

In Gaza, no figure had greater influence in determining the course of the war than the 61-year-old leader of Hamas. Obsessive, disciplined and dictatorial, he was a rarely seen veteran militant who learned Hebrew over years spent in Israeli prisons and who carefully studied his enemy.

On Thursday, Israel said troops in Gaza killed Sinwar. There was no immediate comment from Hamas on his death.

The secretive figure feared on both sides of the battle lines masterminded the October 7, 2023, surprise attack on southern Israel along with the even more obscure Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’ armed wing. Israel said it killed Deif in a July airstrike in southern Gaza that killed more than 70 Palestinians.

Shortly afterwards, Hamas leader in exile, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed while visiting Iran in an explosion blamed on Israel. Sinwar was then chosen to take his place as top leader of Hamas, although he was hiding in Gaza.