signs that there were no signs that israeli hostages had been present in the building where the three militants were killed." the reason that's interesting is that yahya sinwar was often reported to be surrounded by a human shield of hostages. clearly he and the rest of hamas were acutely aware that he was a target for israel, a key target for his —— israel. he became the leader in the summer after the death of ismail haniyeh who was killed in iran while attending the inauguration of the new iranian president. clearly as correspondence have been telling us this hour, this will be hugely significant if indeed this news is confirmed, although there not been any media comment from hamas on what the idf are saying. a few minutes ago i spoke to a gaza

correspondent who told me more about yahya sinwar and how important he is to hamas. yahya sinwar, important he is to hamas. yahya sinwar. his _ important he is to hamas. yahya sinwar, his latest _ important he is to hamas. yahya sinwar, his latest position - important he is to hamas. yahya sinwar, his latest position as - sinwar, his latest position as the overall leader of hamas. i've been in qatar when they chose him and they said he is the one who will order the 7th of october attack and one hamas leader told me that this attack belongs to him so he deserved to be the overall leader of the movement. yahya sinwar was in prison for quite a long time, more than 20 years in the israeli prison, then released backin israeli prison, then released back in 2013 following an exchange deal between hamas and israel to release the captive soldier. since then, he quickly became a big figure in hamas. he was almost in control of the military wing of the movement.

his brother mohammed was running part of hamas in khan yunis and even before he became the head of the movement, he was the leaderfor the head of the movement, he was the leader for hamas in gaza, which i think is the most important place for hamas, there is a heavy weight of hamas in gaza and he was ahead of the movement, he was the overall leader, whether he himself ordered the decision of the 7th of october or not, he was the one in charge of that. there's still word from halas orany there's still word from halas or any indication about this recent israeli claim that they killed him. there is a photo circulating on social media which i saw and it looks like him but it's not verified, and

some are suggesting it may be an ai photo. still very conflicting reports about him but indeed, if he is the one and he has really been killed or targeted, and he has really been killed ortargeted, it's and he has really been killed or targeted, it's a significant development towards a turning point in this war. 50 development towards a turning point in this war.— point in this war. so you're sa in: point in this war. so you're saying this _ point in this war. so you're saying this could _ point in this war. so you're saying this could be - point in this war. so you're saying this could be a - point in this war. so you're i saying this could be a turning point if it is him, what else are you hearing from your contacts in gazan right now? —— in gaza. contacts in gazan right now? -- in gaza. ,, ., �* in gaza. still nothing, i've been sending _ in gaza. still nothing, i've been sending messages l in gaza. still nothing, i've| been sending messages to in gaza. still nothing, i've - been sending messages to hamas people outside and you know how difficult communication is inside. we have shared what is available on social media and in some of the whatsapps groups they are circulating a photo which i have been able to see, and i can't tell exactly. it looks like him but i can't tell you whether this photo is true.

there is no word from hamas yet, no word from outside or inside, oranyone yet, no word from outside or inside, or anyone close to hamas with any comment about this. widely, palestinians are sharing this photo and sharing the news everywhere, some posted on social media and in what subgroups, people who have access to the internet from gaza were sharing this news. what have you been able to learn about the way yahya sinwar operated in his day—to—day life? obviously he and the rest of hamas clearly knew that he was the number one target for israel after the killing of ismail haniyeh in the summer so we have heard that he often operated deep underground. he was often said to have a human shield of hostages around him. what have you been able to learn about

his day—to—day life and how difficult would it be for israeli intelligence to get a fix on where he might be? well, even before _ fix on where he might be? well, even before this _ fix on where he might be? well, even before this event _ fix on where he might be? well, even before this event in - even before this event in october, yahya sinwar was never somebody who could appear anywhere any time, he was always surrounded by a very tight security situation every time we see him somewhere, there is always high—level security around him, but since the 7th of october, we believe that he has been underground since day one but back when they killed ismail haniyeh and chose yahya sinwar as the overall leader of the movement, i think he had to make some communication with the people outside. this is what the israelis were waiting for, one mistake, exactly what has happened with all of the hamas

leaders that were killed before. it'sjust one mistake you make, it communication or a call or somebody close to you communicates with somebody else, would make your target. in this case, he's a very high profile person, is the one we believe ordered the 7th of october together with the head of the military wing who was also killed, and his brother mohammed who runs the khan yunis operation. but i think it's still early to confirm or judge whether he was killed or not but if indeed it is a significant move.- not but if indeed it is a significant move. not but if indeed it is a siunificant move. . ., , ., significant move. that was our correspondence _ significant move. that was our correspondence speaking - significant move. that was our correspondence speaking to i significant move. that was our. correspondence speaking to me significant move. that was our i correspondence speaking to me a few minutes ago about this breaking story. just a reminder, no absolute confirmation yet, that yahya sinwar, the leader of hamas, is

one of those killed in this israeli strike. the israel defense forces saying that they are checking the possibility. with me now is our security correspondent frank gardner. it's interesting that the statement on x from the idf, also from the isa, one of the israeli intelligence agencies, because this would have to be an intelligence led operation, yahya sinwar was not one of those individuals who were suddenly going to pop up unexpectedly by chance so what kind of operation would have gone on if it is him to try to reach him, to kill him? this was definitely _ reach him, to kill him? this was definitely one - reach him, to kill him? this was definitely one of- reach him, to kill him? this was definitely one of the i reach him, to kill him? t�*i 3 was definitely one of the war aims right from the beginning, since october the 7th, for israel's idf,, to track him down and either bring him to justice or eliminate him. that

would have been their intelligence. israel has a number of different intelligence agencies, there is mossad that overseas intelligence gathering, and there is domestic intelligence, shinbet, which deals with domestic intelligence, then the isa. they will all have been doing their best to use human informants and electronic means. yahya sinwar was or is, it's not yet confirmed, very intelligent, cunning, resourceful, some would say devious man. he's a survivor. he was first arrested 42 years ago in 1982 and has been a thorn in their side for a long time. he was in prison for many years, he was released as part of a deal some time ago, he is believed by the israelis to be instrumental in october 7th. he

was the only one, but this is unsuspected —— unfinished business for the israelis, which triggered the devastation of gaza which has taken place since. with thousands of civilians killed. yahya sinwar is the most important person in the israelis had been after since. our colleague said it has i was been assumed that in order to give him the best chance of survival, he would surround himself in a tunnel somewhere with living israeli hostages. part of the 101 hostages. part of the 101 hostages are dead but most are still alive and it was always assumed that in order to save his own skin, he would surround himself with them. it's possible the israelis knew where he was and were waiting for a moment for him not to be surrounded by them but we don't

know that yet. surrounded by them but we don't know that yet-— know that yet. significant that that is mentioned _ know that yet. significant that that is mentioned in _ know that yet. significant that that is mentioned in the - that is mentioned in the statement by the idf and isa that there were no hostages in the area. ., the area. yeah, even if there had been. — the area. yeah, even if there had been, we _ the area. yeah, even if there had been, we still— the area. yeah, even if there had been, we still don't - the area. yeah, even if there| had been, we still don't know if they would have gone on or not. there were three, in israel's words, terrorists killed in this operation and they were not able to confirm their identity but the pictures that have emerged online show striking similarities. online is prone to all sorts of manipulation so this isn't a scientific thing, but in terms of what people in the region think and believe, it does really look like him, similar teeth and jaw line. if it really look like him, similar teeth and jaw line.- teeth and “aw line. if it is him, teeth and “aw line. if it is him. and _ teeth and jaw line. if it is him, and we _ teeth and jaw line. if it is him, and we continue - teeth and jaw line. if it is him, and we continue to| teeth and jaw line. if it is - him, and we continue to stress that it him, and we continue to stress thatitisif him, and we continue to stress that it is if at the moment, what would this mean for hamas in the conflict in the middle east? �* , in the conflict in the middle east? �*, , , ., in the conflict in the middle east? �*, , ., ., east? it's probably got more significance _ east? it's probably got more significance for _ east? it's probably got more significance for israel - east? it's probably got more significance for israel and i significance for israel and hamas because hamas already lost their political leader ismail haniyeh onjuly 31, assassinated in a bomb in a

guesthouse in tehran, widely assumed to be the work of mossad, but it was widely assumed it was them. hamas has been ruling gaza since it won elections just nearly 20 years ago and essentially expelled the rival palestinian authority which still rules in ramallah but not gaza. hamas is an arabic acronym that means "the islamic resistance movement" and has ruled since then with a rod of iron, very much enforced by yahya sinwar