Yahya Sinwar — Hamas Leader — Killed in Rafah

Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7 attack and leader of Hamas in Gaza, was killed on October 16, 2024, in a chance encounter with Israeli forces in Rafah, southern Gaza. IDF troops engaged a small group of fighters in a ruined building; only after the engagement did DNA testing confirm one of the dead was Sinwar. He was carrying cash and a suitcase — apparently moving through tunnels. His death was seen as a strategic blow to Hamas but did not end the conflict or significantly accelerate hostage release. Netanyahu said Sinwar's death was 'the beginning of the day after Hamas.'