IDF and Shin Bet Kill Yahya Sinwar’s Bodyguard in Khan Yunis Operation

On Monday, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet forces killed Razek Sahil Suleiman Abu Shakhma, a Hamas terrorist and bodyguard of Yahya Sinwar, in the Khan Yunis area of the Gaza Strip. Abu Shakhma had infiltrated the Re’im military camp during the October 7 attacks. This was confirmed by the IDF spokesperson on Thursday. Earlier, on Sunday, another Hamas terrorist, Hazem Musa, also from the military wing and involved in the October 7 infiltration, was killed in Khan Yunis.

According to the IDF, both terrorists were actively planning attacks against Israeli military forces and civilians and were working to restore Hamas’s operational capabilities despite the ceasefire. The strikes aimed to neutralize these threats while maintaining the ceasefire framework. The IDF emphasized that any terrorist with intelligence linking them to the October 7 attacks was immediately targeted, even without high-level authorization if they posed a threat.

Yahya Sinwar himself was killed on October 16, 2024, in Rafah. The recent operation that eliminated Abu Shakhma and others occurred during an unplanned encounter by infantry soldiers from the Infantry Commanders and Specialists School (BISLACH). The soldiers were clearing a terrorist area when they discovered three militants in a booby-trapped building, which was partially destroyed by the IDF. They killed the militants without initially knowing their identities.

Large amounts of Israeli cash, weapons, and identification documents were found on the bodies. Due to the explosives in the building, drones first scanned the bodies, identifying one resembling Sinwar’s bodyguard. This led the soldiers to realize they had likely killed a key Hamas leader in an unexpected encounter. The exact location of the operation remains undisclosed to protect the forces involved.