Mahmoud Hamdan, the Hamas commander responsible for guarding Yahya Sinwar and overseeing the six hostages murdered in the Tel al-Sultan area, was eliminated by the IDF on Friday.
Hamdan, the commander of Hamas’ Tel al-Sultan Battalion, was initially believed to have been killed several weeks ago based on intelligence assessments. However, it was later revealed that this intelligence was insufficient, and Hamdan continued his role of guarding Sinwar.
The encounter, during which Hamdan was eliminated, occurred approximately 200 meters from the location where Sinwar had been killed.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by the IDF in Tel Sultan in Rafah on Wednesday in an unplanned operation, the IDF announced on Thursday.
IDF troops suspected there were Hamas terrorists in the building area, which they eventually fired on. Afterward, they found Sinwar’s body inside.
"Sinwar was responsible for the most brutal attack against Israel in our history when terrorists from Gaza invaded Israel," IDF Chief Spokesperson R-Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press conference.
"For the past year, Sinwar tried to escape justice. He failed. We said we would find him and bring him to justice, and we did. It was Yahya Sinwar who decided to wage war with Israel while hiding behind civilians in Gaza," he added.
Who were the six hostages?
The bodies of hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Ori Danino were found in a tunnel under the city of Rafah in Gaza.
They were likely slaughtered by Hamas shortly before the IDF got to them in Rafah.