Hamas confirms five leaders killed, including 'masked spokesperson' in major blow to terror group

Hamas has officially confirmed the deaths of five senior leaders, marking one of the most significant blows to the terror organization since the start of the Gaza war, according to reports. In a statement released on Monday by the group’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas said that Mohammed al-Sinwar, the brother of former Hamas leader Yahya al-Sinwar, was killed during Israeli military operations in Gaza, according to the Jerusalem Post . Al-Sinwar had risen to a senior role within the organization and was widely viewed as a key figure in Hamas’ wartime command following the deaths of other top commanders. The Israeli military also said in May that he had been killed in an airstrike targeting a Hamas command center beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis. NETANYAHU CALLS ON NEIGHBORING NATIONS TO JOIN ISRAEL IN 'EXPELLING HAMAS' FROM REGION Hamas did not immediately specify the exact date of his death but acknowledged he had been killed earlier this year. Hamas also confirmed the death of Abu Obeida, the longtime masked spokesman of the al-Qassam Brigades, who became the public face of the group’s military wing during the war, per Reuters . In its announcement, Hamas revealed for the first time that his real name was Hudhayfa Samir Abdullah al-Kahlout. According to Israeli statements, Abu Obeida was killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza City in late August. While Israel had previously announced his death, Monday’s statement marked the first official confirmation by Hamas itself. ISRAEL’S COVERT CAMPAIGN TARGETS HAMAS TERRORISTS BEHIND OCT 7 MASSACRE Among the other senior figures confirmed dead was Raed Saad, a high-ranking commander within the al-Qassam Brigades, the Times of Israel reported. Israel had announced Dec. 13 that Saad had been killed in a targeted strike after months of tracking his movements through Gaza’s tunnel network. Israeli security officials described Saad as one of the principal planners of the Oct. 7 , 2023, attack where around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage. Hamas also acknowledged the deaths of Mohammed Shabanah, the head of its Rafah Brigade, and Hakam al-Issa, a veteran commander and one of the founders of the al-Qassam Brigades. Both men were reported by Israel to have been killed in separate airstrikes in Gaza earlier this year, with al-Issa dying during attacks on the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City. MOSSAD–EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATION LAUNCHES SWEEPING CRACKDOWN ON HAMAS GLOBAL TERROR NETWORK The confirmations came despite a ceasefire that took effect in October. Speaking Monday after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, President Trump also warned that Hamas must disarm soon or face severe consequences. "They’re going to be given a very short period of time to disarm," Trump said. The president added that the next phase of the Gaza peace plan could move forward quickly if Hamas lays down its weapons.