Israel ‘may have eliminated Hamas’s top leadership’

The IDF is reportedly cautiously optimistic that it has killed not only Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar but senior commander Muhammad Shabana, who was first in line to succeed him.

Hamas's top leader in Gaza Mohammed Sinwar, and the site of an Israeli army air strike on the European Hospital in Khan Younis. Picture: AP.

The Israeli military is reportedly cautiously optimistic that it has killed not only Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar but senior commander Muhammad Shabana, who was first in line to succeed him.

Abu Obeidah, Hamas’s spokesman – regularly seen on Al Jazeera with his face covered by a red keffiyeh – is also thought to have been killed in the massive strikes launched by the Israeli Defence Forces on the an underground bunker near the European Hospital in Gaza on Wednesday (AEST).

Sinwar, who has led Hamas in Gaza since his brother Yahya was killed by Israel last October,

has refused to acknowledge the group’s political leadership in Qatar since his brother’s death and is seen as a major block to ceasefire talks. Shabana, the commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade and a trusted lieutenant of Sinwar, had been expected to take over the terror organisation on the event of Sinwar’s death.

But if the deaths of both men – and their spokesman – are confirmed, it would mean the militant group has been decapitated, leaving only Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, commander of Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade to take over as military chief.

It would also mark an important military victory for Israel at a time when the country is under pressure to wrap up its 18-month-long war in the enclave and as Donald Trump has appeared to sideline Jerusalem in his dealings with the country’s Arab neighbours.

After the first air strikes on Wednesday, which saw the Israeli Air Force drop more than a tonne of bunker busting bombs on the suspected Hamas command and control facility, they struck again on Thursday. Palestinians reported a “belt of fire” at the Khan Younis site, with Israeli media reporting the aim of the renewed attack was to prevent any attempt at rescue of the Hamas leader and other militant commanders, or removal of the rubble.

The Israeli Defence Force has previously refrained from targeting Sinwar because he is known to surround himself with a human shield of hostages.

However according to The Jerusalem Post, The IDF recently destroyed one of the last remaining strategic tunnels connecting Rafah and Khan Yunis, severely limiting the ability of Sinwar and Shabanah to move around the strip.

The newspaper reports that it’s possible the destruction of the tunnels forced the Hamas leaders into the tunnel under the European Hospital, making it easier to target them.

On Wednesday, military intelligence was informed Sinwar was in a Hamas command site under the hospital with no hostages nearby, YNet TV reports.

With only a small window to attack, Israeli Air Force jets were in the air within an hour, leaving Jerusalem no time to inform US of the strike. YNet reports the air force dropped at least 40 bunker busting bombs on the site, with security officials telling Israeli media that anyone who wasn’t killed in the attack would die from toxic fumes released by the bombs.

Israeli military commanders compare the attack with the strike on the underground bunker in Beirut that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last year.

If Izz ad-Din al-Haddad has evaded assassination, he will be the last man standing of all Hamas’s commanders since October 7 2023. Since the start of the war with Hamas, the IDF has killed Mohammad Sinwar’s brother Yahya Sinwar, former military chief Mohammad Deif, Deif’s deputy Marwan Issa, Northern Gaza Brigade commander Ahmad Ran Dur, Central Gaza Brigade Commander Ayman Nofel, and Khan Yunis Brigade Commander Rafah Salame. Israel has also killed Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh and his deputy, Salah al-Arouri.

On Thursday, Israel’s military also urged residents to evacuate the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City, warning that its forces would “attack the area with intense force”.

“To the residents of the Gaza Strip located in (parts of) Al-Rimal neighbourhood area … Due to Hamas’s exploitation of civilian areas for terrorist activities … the Israel (military) will attack the area with intense force,” the military’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X. “For your safety, you are advised to evacuate the area.”

The military also published a graphic of Hamas’s command sites near civilian infrastructure near Gaza.

⭕️ REVEALED: New intelligence indications exposing the continued terrorist activity of Hamas from within and near civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including hospitals, educational institutions, and other civilian facilities.

The information clearly illustrates the cynical… pic.twitter.com/ukg7gurITX

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 14, 2025

Meanwhile, dozens of former hostages held by Hamas urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump to reach a “comprehensive deal” for the return of all captives still being held.

In a joint letter published by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, 67 former captives called on the US and Israeli leaders, “Only the immediate return of ALL hostages through a negotiated deal will create the foundation for hope, unity, and the renewal of our nation”.

Gaza rescuers said at least 80 people were killed in the Israeli bombardment across the Palestinian territory on Thursday (AEST), as Mr Netanyahu spoke to US envoy Steve Witkoff about the release of hostages.

Negotiations for the release of the captives held in Gaza have been ongoing, with the latest talks taking place in the Qatari capital Doha, where US President Donald Trump was visiting on Wednesday.

Mr Netanyahu’s office said the premier had discussed with Mr Witkoff and his negotiating team “the issue of the hostages and the missing”.

Mr Witkoff later said Mr Trump had “a really productive conversation” with the Qatari emir about a Gaza deal, adding that “we are moving along and we have a good plan together”.