Jerusalem, Oct 18: Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, has been killed by Israeli forces, as confirmed by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, agencies reported.

Sinwar, 62, was identified as a key architect of the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, marking it as one of the deadliest assaults in Israel's history.

In a statement, Katz described Sinwar as a "master murderer" responsible for the "massacre and atrocities" of October 7. He emphasized that Sinwar's death is a significant military and moral achievement for Israel and a victory for the free world against extremist groups led by Iran.

Sinwar had been leading Hamas in Gaza since 2017 and took over the political bureau after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran earlier this year. Israeli authorities stated that they had been pursuing him for about a year, indicating that he had been hiding among civilians in Gaza, utilizing Hamas tunnels for concealment.

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency noted that recent operations in southern Gaza had limited Sinwar's movements, ultimately leading to his elimination. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remarked that Sinwar "died while beaten, persecuted, and on the run," framing his death as a warning to all adversaries of Israel.

Initially, the IDF reported that they were verifying the identity of Sinwar among several militants killed in the operation. Subsequent confirmations were made through dental records and fingerprint matching.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Sinwar's death as a pivotal moment in diminishing Hamas' influence, while President Isaac Herzog urged continued efforts to secure the release of 101 hostages still held in Gaza.

Netanyahu indicated that returning hostages could facilitate a broader resolution to the ongoing conflict. President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation, and U.S. officials were notified about Sinwar’s potential death.

Sinwar was previously sentenced to four life terms in 1989 for his role in various violent activities, spending 22 years in prison before being released in a 2011 prisoner exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been held by Hamas for five years.