Chilling autopsy confirms Hamas leader suffered bullet wound to head and fingers cut off for DNA analysis

The autopsy of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar revealed that he was killed by a gunshot wound to the head during an Israeli military attack in southern Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) located his body in the Tel al-Sultan area of ​​Rafah, a key target of their operation. Sinwar, a key figure within Hamas as head of the politburo, was a top target for Israel because of his role in the organization and his involvement in attacks on Israel.

The IDF’s 828 Brigade made the discovery during an intelligence-based ground attack. Israeli soldiers found the body, which resembled Sinwar, in a shelter. To confirm the identity, they took DNA samples from the body. Reports indicate that one of Sinwar’s fingers was cut off to facilitate the DNA test. The soldiers used a DNA profile taken during Sinwar’s captivity in Israel. Sinwar was held in an Israeli prison for 20 years until he was released in a prisoner exchange in 2011.

Chen Kugel, the chief pathologist at Israel’s National Center for Forensic Medicine, confirmed the method used to verify Sinwar’s identity.

According to Kugel, after comparing the body’s DNA with the profile from Sinwar’s prison sentence, they were able to definitively identify him. Initially attempts were made to match his dental records, but these proved inconclusive. The confirmation of his identity through DNA put an end to the operation aimed at eliminating Sinwar.

Images circulating on social media showed Israeli troops in the hideout where Sinwar’s body was discovered.

In one video, two soldiers are seen standing near the body, believed to be Sinwar’s, with one of his fingers cut off. However, previous videos suggested that all of his fingers were intact when the body was first found, leading to speculation about when the finger was removed.

Kugel also disclosed that Sinwar had suffered other injuries, including those caused by a tank shell fired by Israeli forces before the attack.

However, the fatal wound was a shot to the head, causing extensive damage to his face and skull. This is consistent with the injuries visible in the images shared online. Following the tank shell attack, Israeli forces conducted a ground operation to assess damage and search for any survivors.

Hamas, known for quickly replacing fallen leaders, is now in the process of selecting a new political head.

Mohammad Sinwar, Yahya’s brother, is expected to take the leadership role. Yahya Sinwar masterminded the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which led to the deaths of more than 1,200 people and sparked a lengthy Israeli operation in Gaza.