This article has been updated with recent developments.

Yahya Sinwar, the secretive head of Hamas known for orchestrating the militant group’s severe assault on Israel last year, has been reported dead.

On Thursday, Israeli officials announced that Sinwar was killed during a military operation in Gaza.

Hamas has not yet made a statement, and it is unclear how Sinwar’s death might influence the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Here’s what we know so far:

What is the latest about Yahya Sinwar’s death?

The Israeli Defense Forces reported that they killed three Hamas militants during a military action in Gaza on Thursday, and they are currently trying to verify if one of them was Sinwar.

A U.S. official, who requested to remain anonymous, mentioned that Israel is conducting DNA tests on the deceased to confirm if it is Sinwar.

Later, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, confirmed the death of Sinwar.

“This represents a significant and moral victory for Israel and the global free world against the radical Islamic axis led by Iran,” Katz stated publicly.

Another U.S. official, also speaking anonymously, conveyed that Sinwar may have been killed in a mortar strike.

Katz noted that Sinwar’s death “may create opportunities” for the immediate liberation of hostages taken during the Hamas assault on Israel last year and could “lead to a transformation that changes the situation in Gaza.”

Who was Yahya Sinwar?

Sinwar led Hamas and was implicated in the surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 250 hostages. He was viewed as one of the key planners behind the attack, igniting a violent conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has led to over 42,000 Palestinian deaths according to reports from the Gaza Health Ministry.

At age 61, Sinwar was responsible for the daily operations in Gaza before the attack on October 7. Following the death of his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, in a July bombing in Tehran, Sinwar assumed the role of Hamas’ political chief.

Regarded by Israel as “The Face of Evil,” Sinwar operated discreetly, frequently moving and using trusted associates for non-digital communication, as revealed by three Hamas officials and a regional source to Reuters. He had not made any public appearances since the October 7 attack and was believed to be hiding within Hamas’s underground tunnel network used for storing weapons, fighters, and captives.

Sinwar played a crucial role in unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Sources close to Hamas indicated that he made all significant decisions, with negotiators waiting days for messages relayed through a secretive network of informants.

Sinwar’s background

Sinwar was born in the Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza in 1962. Before the war, he often shared stories about his upbringing in Gaza amidst decades of Israeli governance. A local resident, Wissam Ibrahim, recounted that Sinwar mentioned how his mother crafted clothing from empty U.N. food-aid sacks.

In a semi-autobiographical book written during his incarceration, Sinwar illustrated scenes of Israeli forces demolishing Palestinian homes, describing it as “like a beast crushing its prey’s bones,” reflecting on the period before Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005.

Sinwar, known for being a harsh enforcer against Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel, gained notoriety as a prison leader, emerging as a revered figure after serving a 22-year sentence for masterminding the kidnapping and killing of two Israeli soldiers along with four Palestinians. He swiftly ascended the ranks within Hamas thereafter.

Sinwar became affiliated with Hamas shortly after its formation in the 1980s, adopting the organization’s radical Islamic principles, which aim to create an Islamic state in historical Palestine and oppose Israel’s existence.

He was apprehended by Israel in the late 1980s for allegedly orchestrating the deaths of two Israeli soldiers, as well as several Palestinians he accused of being informers. He received multiple life sentences, spending the majority of his life incarcerated before being released in a prisoner exchange in 2011, which freed Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas for five years.

Sinwar is believed to have played a critical role in establishing Hamas’ internal security service, known as Majd, which is responsible for identifying and punishing supposed Palestinian informants.

Sinwar labeled as ‘violent terrorist’ and ‘hindrance’ in peace negotiations

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Adviser, who accompanied President Joe Biden to Germany, described the announcement of Sinwar’s death as a “very important day for the Middle East.”

“This individual was a violent terrorist who played a major role in the most devastating attack on Jews since the Holocaust,” Sullivan stated to reporters on Air Force One. “He has contributed to the deaths of many – Israeli, American, and Palestinian. The world is a better place without him.”

Sullivan pointed out that Sinwar was “a major barrier” to achieving peace in Gaza as well as to efforts aimed at establishing a ceasefire and facilitating the release of hostages.

“At times, Sinwar appeared more focused on wreaking havoc and causing death rather than working towards a ceasefire and a hostage deal,” Sullivan elaborated. “We observed numerous instances where he was the main obstacle in progressing toward a ceasefire and hostage agreement.”

Following his death, the United States plans to intensify its initiatives to conclude the conflict, secure the freedom of remaining hostages, and find a constructive approach that allows the people of Gaza “to rebuild their lives and pursue their ambitions without war and the harsh control of Hamas,” stated Secretary of State Antony Blinken.