Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed in Gaza, Israel confirms

Israel has confirmed to American officials that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is dead, according to initial DNA testing, a person familiar with the matter said. Follow for live updates.

• JUST IN: Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7 massacre in Israel, has been killed, according to the Israeli military. • Sinwar’s body was spotted in the rubble of a building struck by an Israeli tank in Gaza, according to a radio station run by Israel’s military. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed Sinwar was “eliminated” after Israeli officials ran DNA tests and used dental records to confirm his identity. • There are no signs that hostages were harmed in the mission that left Sinwar dead, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier Thursday. Negotiations for a hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal have been at a standstill for almost a month, according to Qatar’s prime minister, who said there was “silence from all parties.” For months, frustrated American officials looking to end the war in Gaza have mused quietly about the one scenario they believed could loosen deadlocked ceasefire talks: the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, believed to be hiding deep underneath Gaza in the group’s network of tunnels. Whether that is what transpires over the coming days remains an open question. Despite all the unknowns, the moment was viewed inside the White House and across President Joe Biden’s administration as a momentous one.