Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in a gun battle by Israeli troops in southern Gaza. Sinwar, believed to be the mastermind of the 7 October 2023 attack, was found by infantry soldiers searching an area where senior members of Hamas were located. The killing was a result of a chance encounter rather than a targeted operation. Sinwar was hiding in the vast network of tunnels that Hamas dug beneath Gaza, but many were uncovered by Israeli troops during the war. His death is a huge blow to Hamas.