Hamas leader and Oct. 7 pogrom mastermind Yahya Sinwar addressing a rally in Gaza. Photo: Reuters/braheem Abu Mustafa

JNS.org — Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on Monday morning addressed reports that Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar may have been killed or wounded in an Israeli airstrike.

“I can’t confirm it, nor can I deny it. We have one mission: to reach him — and we will,” he told reporters during a briefing focused on the situation on the country’s northern front.

Security sources report that Sinwar has been out of contact for some time, prompting an investigation into the cause of his silence.

Current assessments indicate that Sinwar is alive and using hostages as human shields. However, authorities are exploring other scenarios, particularly given Israel’s recent bombing campaign targeting tunnels in areas where Sinwar was believed to be hiding.

At present, there is no evidence suggesting Sinwar is dead, apart from his prolonged silence.

It’s important to note that throughout the war, there have been substantial periods when Sinwar was incommunicado, either due to being on the move or deliberately choosing to cut off contact for strategic reasons.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12 on Monday, IDF soldiers brought several bodies out of Gaza recently to check if their DNA matched Sinwar’s. All tests were said to have come back negative.