Latest news with #Yahya
The Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Israel says killed Hamas's presumed leader in Gaza
JERUSALEM: Israel said Wednesday its military killed Mohammed Sinwar, Hamas's presumed Gaza leader and the brother of Yahya, slain mastermind of the October 2023 attacks that sparked the Gaza war. On the war's 600th day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Israel's Gaza offensive, saying it had killed tens of thousands of militants including Mohammed Sinwar -- nicknamed 'the shadow'. Israeli media said Sinwar was targeted by strikes in southern Gaza earlier this month. His brother was killed in October 2024. Wednesday's announcement came as the UN condemned a US- and Israeli-backed aid system in Gaza after dozens were hurt the day before in chaotic scenes at a food distribution site. Also Wednesday, AFP footage showed crowds of Palestinians breaking into a UN World Food Programme warehouse at Deir el-Balah in central Gaza and taking food as gunshots rang out. The WFP posted on X that 'hungry people' raided the warehouse 'in search of food supplies that were pre-positioned for distribution'. The aid issue has worsened amid a hunger crisis and criticism of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which bypasses the longstanding UN-led system. The UN said 47 people were injured Tuesday when thousands of Palestinians rushed a GHF site. A Palestinian medical source reported at least one death. Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories, said most injuries came from Israeli gunfire. The military rejected this. A spokesman said soldiers 'fired warning shots into the air', not towards people. GHF also denied crowds were shot while waiting for aid and said operations continue, with a new site opened 'without incident' and more planned. With two of its four sites fully operational, GHF said it distributed eight trucks of aid and more than 840,000 meals on Wednesday. Gazans accused the US-backed system of causing confusion and unfair access. 'All the aid boxes were torn apart and people just took whatever they wanted. This is all I could find: five bags of chickpeas and five kilos of rice,' said Qasim Shalouf in Khan Yunis. UN Middle East envoy Sigrid Kaag said Gazans 'deserve more than survival'. 'Since the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, the already horrific existence of civilians has only sunk further into the abyss,' she told the Security Council. 'War of Revival' Netanyahu marked the 600-day milestone in parliament, saying the offensive had 'changed the face of the Middle East'. 'We drove the terrorists out of our territory, entered the Gaza Strip with force, eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists, eliminated... Mohammed Sinwar,' he said. In Washington, US envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism about a possible ceasefire, saying he expected to propose a plan soon. 'I have some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution, temporary cease fire, and a long-term resolution, a peaceful resolution of that conflict,' he said. Gazans remained pessimistic. 'Six hundred days have passed and nothing has changed. Death continues, and Israeli bombing does not stop,' said Bassam Daloul, 40. 'Even hoping for a ceasefire feels like a dream and a nightmare.' Displaced mother-of-three Aya Shamlakh, 35, said: 'There is no food, no water, not even clothes. The clothes we wear are torn and my children cannot find food to eat, where do we go?' In Israel, relatives of hostages held since the October 7 attack gathered in Tel Aviv. 'I want you to know that when Israel blows up deals, it does so on the heads of the hostages,' said Arbel Yehud, who was freed from Gaza captivity in January. 'Their conditions immediately worsen, food diminishes, pressure increases, and bombings and military actions do not save them, they endanger their lives.' ' Waste of resources' The UN has criticised the GHF, which faces accusations of failing humanitarian principles. 'I believe it is a waste of resources and a distraction from atrocities,' said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Gaza's civil defence said Israeli strikes killed 16 people Wednesday. Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza for more than two months, before easing it slightly last week. It stepped up its military offensive earlier this month, while mediators push for a still elusive ceasefire. In Tel Aviv, hundreds of people called for a ceasefire, lining roads and the main highway at 6:29 am -- the exact time the unprecedented October 7 attack began. Most Israeli media focused on the 600-day milestone and the hostage families' struggle. Some 1,218 people were killed in Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Wednesday at least 3,924 people had been killed in the territory since Israel ended the ceasefire on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 54,084, mostly civilians.
The Journal
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Presumed leader of Hamas killed by Israeli military in Gaza
HAMAS' PRESUMED LEADER in Gaza, Mohammad Sinwar, the brother of Yahya, has been killed by the Israeli military, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told parliament. Speaking in the Israeli parliament, Netanyahu announced the death of the militant group's leader. His brother Yahya, Hamas' former leader and believed to be the person who planned the 7 October 2023 attack, was killed last year. Netanyahu's announcement comes as the UN and other aid groups condemn a US and Israeli-backed aid system, which requires people in Gaza, where food was not allowed in for nearly three months, to travel to hubs in the south of the region. One person died, and 48 people were injured after Israeli military personnel opened fire on people at the Gaza Humanitarian Fund site . The military has rejected claims it fired into crowds, claiming it had fired into the air. UN envoy for the Middle East Sigrid Kaag told the Security Council Wednesday Palestinians living in Gaza 'deserve more than survival'. Advertisement 'Since the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, the already horrific existence of civilians has only sunk further into the abyss,' she said. 'This is manmade… Death is their companion. It's not life, it's not hope. The people of Gaza deserve more than survival. They deserve a future.' Reporting from AFP Need more information on what is happening in Israel and Palestine? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to navigating the news online. Visit Knowledge Bank
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Who Was Hamas Gaza Chief Muhammad Sinwar? From Yahya's ‘Shadow' To Oct 7 Israel Attacks Mastermind
Last Updated: Yahya, who was killed last October, and Sinwar are believed to be the masterminds of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Wednesday that Hamas Gaza chief, Muhammad Sinwar had been eliminated. On May 13, the Israel Security Agency and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that Sinwar was targeted in an Israeli airstrike on a bunker under the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis. Saudi channel Al-Hadath claimed Sinwar's body was recovered from the tunnel along with Muhammad Shabana, but a confirmation was awaited. Sinwar was the younger brother of the former Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli military in southern Gaza last October. Yahya and Sinwar are believed to be the masterminds of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza. Israel had placed a $300,000 bounty on information about Mohammed Sinwar's whereabouts. Born in 1975 in the Khan Yunis refugee camp, Sinwar and his family fled a village near Ashkelon in 1948, settling in the southern Gaza Strip. He joined the military movement of Hamas in 1991. Arrested by Israel in 1991 for suspected terrorism, Sinwar was released within a year. But he was arrested for several years by the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah in the 1990s. Sinwar became the commander of Hamas' Khan Younis brigade in 2005. In 2006, he was a participant in the abduction of Gilad Shalit, who was released in 2011 in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, including Yahya. Following the killing of Hamas's top military commander, Muhammad Deif, last July, he took charge of the terror group's military wing. After IDF troops killed Yahya, Sinwar became the de facto leader of the terror group in the Gaza Strip. Sinwar was always seen as the one operating 'behind the scenes", which earned him the nickname of 'The Shadow'. HOW SINWAR WENT BEYOND FAMILY INFLUENCE According to Israeli media, Sinwar's familial ties to his older brother cemented his status within both Israel's security apparatus and the terror outfit. 'From the beginning of his career in Hamas, Muhammad worked alongside senior commanders, breathing and living pure terrorism," an Israeli senior security official said. 'Initially, he gained influence because of his family ties, but it didn't take long for his operational abilities, cruelty, interpersonal skills, and understanding of military strategy to be recognised," he added. The Israeli, who tracked Sinwar since childhood, said that 'Working with senior leaders, along with the fact that his brother was imprisoned in Israel, sharpened his central goal: to carry out kidnappings that would lead to his brother's release, as well as other security prisoners, rather than attacks aimed solely at killing." 6 ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS IN 2021 As per Israeli media reports, more targeted killings were attempted against the younger Sinwar than any other senior Hamas figure before the attack by the Palestinian outfit triggered the war. Earlier in 2014, Hamas announced that Sinwar had died during the Israel-Gaza War, but later the information was found to be incorrect. In May 2021, Israel made six assassination attempts on Sinwar. 'Muhammad Sinwar was not only pivotal in the military development of Hamas, evolving from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades to the military wing and eventually a full-fledged army, but he also played a leading and influential role in several phases of the process," a former Israeli security official told The Jerusalem Post. 'It's no coincidence that his house has been destroyed several times in the past two decades. The operations to eliminate him were almost fantastical in scope, but they failed," the official added. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
Deccan Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Hamas Gaza chief Mohammed Sinwar has been eliminated: Netanyahu
Mohammad Sinwar was elevated to the top ranks of the Palestinian militant group last year after Israel killed his brother Yahya in combat during the ongoing war in Gaza.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Fahmi extends condolences on passing of broadcasting legend Yahya Longchik
KUALA LUMPUR: Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has extended condolences to the family of the late Yahya Longchik, a former Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) radio and news presenter. Yahya, who was a prominent radio presenter in 1966 through the programme 'This Is Your Life', died at the age of 86. In a post on X today, Fahmi said Yahya's passing was a great loss to the nation's broadcasting industry. 'As one of the voices and faces who helped shape the TV and radio news landscape in our country through @RTM_Malaysia, the late Yahya will be remembered not only for his charismatic presenting style but also for his dedication to broadcasting quality and integrity. 'More than just a news presenter, he was a symbol of trustworthiness, credibility, and service to the people,' he said. Fahmi also prayed for Yahya's soul to be blessed and placed among the righteous. After retiring from RTM, Yahya joined Pos Malaysia in 1990 as Group Manager (Public Relations).
