Hamas has confirmed the deaths of five high-ranking leaders, representing a significant setback for the organization since the onset of the Gaza conflict, as reported by various sources.
On Monday, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, issued a statement revealing that Mohammed al-Sinwar, the brother of former Hamas leader Yahya al-Sinwar, was killed during Israeli military actions in Gaza, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Mohammed al-Sinwar had ascended to a prominent position within Hamas and was considered a vital figure in the group’s wartime command structure, especially after the loss of other senior leaders.
The Israeli military had previously reported in May that al-Sinwar died in an airstrike aimed at a Hamas command center located beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis.
Hamas also confirmed the deaths of important members, including Abu Obeida, the long-time masked spokesperson for the group. (Reuters)
While Hamas did not immediately provide the exact date of Abu Obeida’s death, they did acknowledge that he had been killed earlier in the 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.
DEIR AL BALAH, GAZA: Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, hand over on Saturday Israeli hostages on February 22, 2025. (Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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.
President Donald Trump listens as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during an arrival at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Alex Brandon/AP)
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.
