Tel Aviv/Gaza, 17 October 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Israel has declared Yehya al-Sinwar, the leader of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, dead.

Al-Sinwar was killed by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday evening, confirming earlier reports.

"This is a significant military and moral victory for Israel and for the entire free world in its fight against the axis of radical Islam led by Iran," Katz said in a personal message to his counterparts around the world.

"Sinwar's elimination opens the door for the immediate release of the hostages and for a transformative change in Gaza – one without Hamas and without Iranian control."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog commended the army for "eliminating the arch-terrorist" who "has for years been responsible for heinous acts of terrorism against Israeli civilians, citizens of other countries, and the murder of thousands of innocent people."

The Hamas leader in Gaza was reportedly killed in what was a rather accidental encounter with Israeli soldiers.

Various Israeli media reported that the forces were carrying out an operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. They reported that a confrontation occurred with al-Sinwar and two other armed Palestinians. It was only after his death that the soldiers noticed the resemblance to the Hamas leader.

The deceased men were found carrying large amounts of cash and fake passports. Al-Sinwar was reportedly wearing a vest with hand grenades.

The Israeli army confirmed that soldiers from the 828th Brigade had killed three terrorists in the south of the Gaza Strip. They said they had intensified operations in the southern part of the coastal strip in recent weeks because intelligence information had suggested that senior Hamas members might be hiding there.