Yahya Sinwar: Drone footage shows Hamas leader covered in dust, throwing debris in ‘pathetic’ last moments

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar spent his final moments covered in dust after a team of Israeli paratroopers prepared to execute the man who was the “mastermind” behind the deadly October 7 attack on Israel.

The attack, in which Hamas killed more than 1200 people and took 250 hostages, according to the Israeli government, inflamed conflict in the Middle East with violence spreading from Gaza and into Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the killing by IDF forces in Gaza.

Drone footage shows Sinwar sitting still in an armchair after a blast on the building he was hiding in, before throwing debris at the drone in a “pathetic” last-ditch effort to evade Israel’s retribution for his heinous crimes.

IDF International Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani shared the vision, with Israelis quick to label the terrorists “pathetic” in the moments before his death.

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Mr Netanyahu spoke at a televised press conference saying “evil has suffered a heavy blow.”

He described Sinwar’s death as the “beginning of the end”, and said Israel would continue to work until the end of the war.

“We have demonstrated today that all those who try to harm us, this is what happens to them. And how the forces of good can always beat the forces of evil and darkness. The war is still ongoing, and it’s costly.

“To the people of Israel, there are a lot of challenges still facing us and we have to remain resilient and stand firm on our ground and to continue to fight.

“We will not stop the war. We will go into Rafah.” Mr Netanyahu said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he hopes the death of Sinwar can help bring an end to the conflict in the Middle East.

Joined by other senior members of the government and opposition, the prime minister welcomed the death of Sinwar, described as the “mastermind” of the October 7 attacks.

“Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was a terrorist and the architect of the atrocities committed on October 7,” Mr Albanese said on Friday.

“He was an enemy of the Israeli people and an enemy of peace-loving people everywhere.

“His death is a significant moment and can be a vital turning point in this devastating conflict.

“Australia joins with the international community in renewing our call for the return of the hostages, urgent humanitarian support for civilians in Gaza and a ceasefire that will break the cycle of violence and put the region on the path to an enduring two state solution.”

- With AAP and Reuters