Hamas confirms death of its military leader Mohammed Sinwar

CAIRO (Reuters) -The Palestinian militant group Hamas confirmed on Saturday the death of its Gaza military chief Mohammad Sinwar, a few months after Israel said it killed him in a strike in May.

Hamas did not provide details on Sinwar's death but published pictures of him along with other group leaders, describing them as "martyrs".

Mohammad Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the Islamist faction’s chief, who co-masterminded the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, and whom Israel had killed in combat a year later.

He was elevated to the top ranks of the group after the death of the brother.

His confirmed death would leave his close associate Izz al-Din Haddad, who currently oversees operations in northern Gaza, in charge of Hamas' armed wing across the whole of the enclave.

(Reporting by Nidal al Mughrabi and Menna Alaa El-Din; Writing by Menna Alaa El-Din; editing by Diane Craft)