Yahya Sinwar's autopsy report reveals chilling details, bullet shot in head, finger severed for DNA

Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, who died due to a gunshot wound to the head and also bore further injuries, especially to his forearm, revealed the autopsy details overseen by Dr. Chen Kugel, director of Israel’s National Forensic Institute.

As the Israeli Defence Forces claim victory over the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar during a ground operation in Rafah, several prominent details related to the operation have since been circulated. Earlier, the IDF shared visuals capturing the final moments of the top Hamas leader, where he was seen taking shelter in a dilapidated building to evade an Israeli attack. Now, further details related to the autopsy conducted on the slain terrorist, including how his death was confirmed and the injuries he sustained at the time of his death, have been revealed.

Majorly, starting with in the last moments captured (according to the visuals released by the IDF), Sinwar was seen sitting hunched in a chair, covered in dust, with his head and face obscured by a scarf. He reportedly had severe arm injuries at the time also, but when he saw an approaching drone, he threw a stick over his head in its direction.

Now, additionally, in the latest information about the operation in which Sinwar died, Dr. Chen Kugel, director of Israel’s National Forensic Institute, speaking to an international media-outlet shared details from the autopsy report. Dr. Kugel confirmed that Sinwar died from a gunshot wound to the head.

"Although he sustained serious injuries from other sources, such as a missile injury that tore his right forearm, fallen masonry on his left leg, and many shrapnel wounds across his body, the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head," Dr. Kugel said in an interview with CNN.

Dr. Kugel also mentioned that Sinwar’s forearm had been severely damaged, possibly by shrapnel from a missile or tank shell. He stated that heavy bleeding must have occurred, and Sinwar appeared to have used an electrical cord to try to stop it, but it wouldn’t have worked due to the severity of the injuries.

Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Defence Forces confirmed Sinwar's death through a DNA test. According to Dr. Kugel, Sinwar’s finger had been severed and sent for further testing. "After analyzing the DNA, we matched it with a profile created during his imprisonment, allowing for positive identification," he explained to CNN.

Significantly, the autopsy was conducted 24 to 36 hours after Sinwar’s death, after which his body was handed over to the Israeli military.

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READ MORE | Watch: Yahya Sinwar’s final moments before being killed by Israeli forces