Another brother of Yahya Sinwar killed in Gaza airstrike

DDM News

A recent Israeli airstrike has resulted in the death of another member of the Sinwar family, deepening the toll of the protracted Gaza conflict.

The airstrike, which took place on Saturday night, May 17, 2025, targeted the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian media reports.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) confirms that Zakaria Sinwar, a renowned historian and professor at the Islamic University of Gaza, was among those killed in the strike.

Zakaria Sinwar reportedly died along with his three sons after an Israeli missile struck their residential location within the crowded camp.

The latest incident forms part of Israel’s sustained military operation in the Gaza Strip, now in its eighth month of heavy fighting.

Palestinian news agency Safa identified Zakaria as a distinguished academic known for his work in modern history and his role in educating young Palestinians.

The academic’s death marks another significant loss for the Sinwar family, following earlier reports that another brother, Mohammed Sinwar, was also killed in a separate Israeli operation.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN earlier reported that Mohammed Sinwar and ten of his aides were found dead in a Hamas underground tunnel complex beneath the southern city of Khan Younis.

Though these claims have circulated widely, Hamas has not yet officially confirmed the deaths of Mohammed or Zakaria Sinwar.

Yahya Sinwar, the former Hamas chief in Gaza and one of the group’s most prominent leaders, was reportedly killed by Israeli forces in southern Gaza on October 16, 2024.

Yahya had been a key figure in Hamas’s political and military strategies and was believed to be instrumental in planning several operations against Israeli targets.

The broader conflict, which reignited on October 7, 2023, has seen intense Israeli military actions aimed at dismantling Hamas leadership and infrastructure.

Israeli forces have carried out numerous airstrikes, ground assaults, and intelligence missions across the enclave, resulting in extensive casualties and displacement.

According to Palestinian health authorities, more than 53,300 Palestinians have died since the start of the conflict.

A significant majority of the casualties are reported to be women and children, raising serious international concerns about the scale of civilian suffering.

Global reactions have intensified in recent months, with human rights organizations accusing Israel of committing war crimes.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The charges include war crimes and crimes against humanity due to the nature of military operations in densely populated areas.

Additionally, the government of South Africa has brought a genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The case accuses Israel of deliberately targeting civilians and using excessive force, violating international humanitarian law.

Israel denies these allegations, maintaining that its military campaign is necessary to neutralize threats from Hamas and protect Israeli citizens.

Meanwhile, conditions on the ground in Gaza continue to worsen.

Fuel shortages, blocked humanitarian access, and constant bombardment have created an unprecedented humanitarian disaster in the region.

The United Nations and several humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for a ceasefire and the safe delivery of aid to affected civilians.

As the conflict grinds on, the death of Zakaria Sinwar and his sons underscores the high human cost of war, especially for families entangled in the political and military leadership of the ongoing struggle.

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