Dramatic footage released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) appears to show Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's last moments before his death in Rafah.
The video, captured by an IDF drone, shows a man believed to be Sinwar inside a damaged building in the Tel Sultanneighbourhood.
The footage reveals a lone figure, his face covered, sitting in an armchair on the second floor of a battle-scarred building.
The man, reportedly injured, is seen clutching a stick in his left hand. In what appears to be a final act of defiance, theindividual throws the stick at the hovering drone in a seemingly futile gesture.
IDF officials say the drone operators were unaware of the man's identity at the time.
The scene unfolded as part of a larger operation where Israeli forces spotted three suspected terrorists moving betweenbuildings. A Merkava tank opened fire on the group, forcing them to separate.
Israeli soldiers attempted to enter the structure but withdrew after the lone terrorist hurled two grenades in their direction.
The military then deployed a drone to search the building before opening fire again.
It was only after IDF troops searched the building a second time that they discovered the man with a covered face and injured arm was the leader of Hamas.
Sinwar's body was found amid rubble, alongside Mentos mints, weapons, cash, and fake identification cards. His remains were taken to Israel for DNA and dental tests to confirm his identity.
The IDF had been hunting Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7 terror attack, for over a year. He was believed to have been hiding in Hamas's underground tunnel network in Gaza.
Daniel Hagari, the IDF's spokesman, said Sinwar was probably attempting "to escape to the north, to safer areas"while Israeli troops closed in on him.
The death of Sinwar, Israel's most wanted target, marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict.
