Gruesome Autopsy Details: Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar's Skull Damaged, Fingers Chopped Off

In a major development, the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, was confirmed dead following an intensive ground operation by the Israeli military in southern Gaza. The operation, led by the 828 Brigade of the Israel Ground Forces (IDF), took place in the Tel al-Sultan region of Rafah.

During their mission, the IDF discovered Sinwar's remains. To confirm his identity, Israeli forces resorted to cutting off his fingers, a procedure aimed at facilitating a DNA match with existing records from his previous incarceration in Israel. Sinwar had been released in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange after spending twenty years in prison.

The procedure to confirm Sinwar's identity involved advanced forensic methods. Initially, attempts were made to identify him through dental records, but this was deemed insufficient.

Subsequently, a DNA profile was created from the severed finger, which matched the records from Sinwar's time in Israeli custody. Chen Kugel, the chief pathologist at the Israel National Center of Forensic Medicine, was quoted by CNN, highlighting the thoroughness of the identification process. "After the laboratory made the profile, we compared it with the profile that Sinwar had in the term that he was serving here as a prisoner, so then we could finally identify him by his DNA," CNN quoted Kugel as saying.

Videos circulating on social media showed Israeli soldiers inside the hideout where Sinwar's body was found. These videos, including one where a soldier is seen next to a body with a missing index finger, sparked widespread attention. CNN's analysis of these videos noted the visible alterations to Sinwar's left hand, corroborating the account of his identification process.

The chief pathologist further disclosed that Sinwar's demise was primarily due to a gunshot wound to the head. Despite sustaining other injuries, including from a tank shell, the fatal shot was identified as the direct cause of death. This revelation was supported by an NDTV-assessed video showing severe facial and skull injuries, aligning with the pathologist's findings.

Prior to the raid, Israeli forces deployed a tank round against the hideout, a preliminary action to the ground operation aimed at assessing damage and searching for survivors. This meticulous approach underscores the intensity of the IDF's efforts to neutralize Hamas leadership.

Yahya Sinwar had allegedly masterminded the October 7 Hamas massacre which killed over 1200 Israelis.

Meanwhile, the Hamas is yet to announce his replacement. Some reports claim that Palestinian militant group is considering a new leader based outside Gaza. However, his brother Mohammad Sinwar might be given a bigger role.