Dramatic video appears to show Hamas leader’s final moments as he throws a stick at the drone

Dramatic footage released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) appears to show Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s final moments before his death in Rafah.

Video captured by an IDF drone shows a man, believed to be Sinwar, in a damaged building in the Tel Sultan district.

The footage shows a lone figure sitting with his face covered in an armchair on the second floor of a battle-scarred building.

The reportedly injured man is holding a stick in his left hand. In what appears to be a final act of defiance, the person throws the stick at the hovering drone in a seemingly futile gesture.

IDF officials say the drone operators were unaware of the man’s identity at the time.

The scene occurred as part of a larger operation in which Israeli forces spotted three suspected terrorists moving between buildings. A Merkava tank opened fire on the group, forcing them to split up.

Israeli soldiers attempted to enter the building but retreated after the lone terrorist hurled two grenades in their direction.

The military then used a drone to search the building before opening fire again.

Only after IDF troops searched the building a second time did they determine that the man with a covered face and an injured arm was the Hamas leader.

Sinwar’s body was found amid rubble along with coins, weapons, cash and fake IDs from Mentos. His remains were taken to Israel for DNA and dental examination to confirm his identity.

The IDF had been hunting Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7 terrorist attack, for over a year. He was believed to have been hiding in Hamas’ underground tunnel network in Gaza.

Daniel Hagari, the IDF spokesman, said Sinwar was likely trying to “escape north to safer areas” as Israeli troops closed in on him.

The death of Sinwar, Israel’s most wanted target, marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict.