Israeli officials on Tuesday said recent reports claiming Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar made contact with Qatari mediators are incorrect, amid uncertainty about his fate following a prolonged period in which contact with him was lost. "It's not true, Sinwar didn't make contact with mediating countries," the officials said.
Israel has been investigating whether Sinwar was injured or killed in one of the IDF strikes in Gaza since September after contact with him was lost, according to the terror group.
Footage of Hamas leader Sinwar inside Gaza tunnel
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Last week, during a meeting attended by IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, a question mark was placed on his picture in a briefing held there. According to a report released on Monday, it seemed that Sinwar was still alive, but now it appears that the issue remains uncertain.
A New York Times report published over the weekend noted that U.S. officials believe the mastermind of the October 7 massacre is still alive and making "critical decisions," a year after October 7.
1 View gallery
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Gaza tunnel in which six hostages were executed by terrorists
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit/ REUTERS , AP)
Washington believes Sinwar is determined to see Israel embroiled in a full-scale war across the Middle East, especially with the IDF's entry into southern Lebanon for the first time since 2006. As a result, he has no intention of negotiating a hostage deal.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: