Gaza: Hamas’ Top Leader Yahya Sinwar Is Dead

Join us Sunday, November 3, for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

Just over a year after Hamas’ invasion of Israel, when Muslim terrorists slaughtered 1,200 people, abducted 251, and started a war that has killed more than 41,500 people in Gaza, one of the main architects of that devastating October 7 attack is now dead.

At the end of August, traces of Yahya Sinwar’s DNA had been found in Rafah tunnels near the bodies of six freshly slain hostages, so the IDF knew they were close to finding him. But this past Thursday, they unknowingly happened upon Israel’s most wanted in a battle, and identified his body among the rubble afterward. Two other Hamas terrorists also died in Thursday’s Rafah skirmish.

Sinwar grew up in southern Gaza, joined Hamas in the late 1980s, and by 1989 was already serving four consecutive life sentences in an Israeli prison for abducting and murdering two Israeli soldiers. During his more than 20 years in prison, Sinwar was treated for brain cancer, which is how Israel had extensive medical records on him to identify his body this week. But in 2011, he was released him from his sentence, along with more than 1,000 other prisoners, in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas.

Sinwar, who has led Hamas in the Gaza Strip since 2017, rose to the topmost position of the Iran-backed terrorist group after the former head, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in Tehran in July.

The IDF also recently killed Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah, as well as Nabil Kaouk and five other Hezbollah senior leaders. In addition, they claim to have killed Hamas’ military head, Mohammed Deif, among other Hamas senior officers.

The same day Sinwar died, an Israeli air strike in Jabaliya, northern Gaza, targeted a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command center inside a school harboring displaced Palestinians. At least 28 people died, including a woman and four children.

Also on Thursday, US military airstrikes targeted five underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

Both Israel and Gaza are more than 97% unreached with the gospel, which means most of those who have died or are otherwise seriously affected by this war do not have the hope of salvation and eternal life that come through believing in Jesus the Messiah.

Visit our Israel-Gaza-Lebanon page to read more and pray for the hostages by name.

(Sources: Josef Federman, Wafer Shurafa, Melanie Lidman, Associated Press; Brian Bushard, Molly Bohannon, Forbes, October 17)

Lord, as Hamas has used Gazans for human shields, as Hezbollah has cared not for the Lebanese citizens caught up in their war, and as Houthis have abused and killed many thousands of Yemeni men, women and children, we ask You, Lord, to burn within every Muslim heart all across the Middle East a yearning for more than violence, lust and evil. Give them a hunger for Love so strong they will search for Truth with all their hearts and find Jesus. Meet them in their dreams. Drive them into Your arms. Lift the veil from their eyes and show them who You truly are, that You are the One this life is for, You LOVE them and You are GOOD. Counter every evil attack with Your gospel penetrating hearts once hardened to Truth. Soften those hearts, remove the plaster from their eyes, and show them the way to salvation. Bring the good news to them in such clear and inviting ways, even (and especially) terrorists will not be able to resist You. May thousands turn away from Islam, meet the Prince of Peace and give their hearts to serve the God who is Love. Awaken every Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi terrorist. Invade their space. Get up in their face. Make them see Your angels fighting against them and fall to their knees in fear and trembling. Press upon the breaking point of every Muslim heart, until at last they see You are the One they were created for, that You made them for love, not destruction; to build up, not tear down; to help, not dismember; to bless, not abuse and kill. Open their ears to hear Your voice calling them to Christ. And save them, O Lord. Bring Christians into their path filled with joy and peace, who will show them Love like they’ve never known before. And change their hearts forever. May they die to satan’s purposes and come alive to You. 

Please be a Shield of protection around the hostages still held by Hamas. Open the way immediately for their safe release, escape or rescue. Soften the hearts of guards to recognize their sin, repent and be saved. Point them to Christ as the only way to salvation. You’ve done it before, Lord. Please do it again. Our hearts are grieved by the devastating numbers of people in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel who have died, those who are in need of healing, those who are starving and those undergoing extreme hardship and stress. But most of all, we long to see the lost saved and the spiritual captives set free. Comfort those who have lost so much, and heal their minds and bodies. Cast out fear with Your perfect love and bring Christians to them to offer healing in the midst of so much suffering. Perform signs and miracles and wonders in such a way that everyone knows You are the One who did that and Jesus is the only way to salvation. Get Bibles into the hands of those who hunger for hope. From out of so much death, bring forth LIFE, Lord. Spark a church-planting movement in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, Yemen and Israel that spreads all throughout the Middle East. Draw every Muslim and Israeli heart to Yourself, and then place Christians there in their midst to clearly share Your good news that brings freedom. Replace hatred with LOVE, war with PEACE, and death with new LIFE. Make the horrific acts of Islamic terrorists who claim to serve “God” so repulsive, millions of Muslims will balk at such religion gone wrong and hunger for what is right. May they seek Truth with all their hearts and find You. Show clearly to every Israeli their Messiah has come. Give them dreams and visions, and show them in their scriptures that Jesus is the One they’ve been looking for. Lift the veil from their eyes so they can see You as You truly are. Awaken Israel, Gaza and the nations all around them to Your love. In Your name. Amen.

For the prayer book, 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, Volume 1-2, and other resources for all ages on overcoming adversity and breaking free from fear and trauma, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through giving a donation, shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, praying for them or inviting them to speak at your church, retreat or other event, click the buttons below:

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