A TOP political leader of Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya, confirmed today that the group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar had been “martyred” after being killed by the Israelis.

Mr Sinwar, top of Israel’s most wanted list, became Hamas’s political chief on July 31 when he succeeded Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated in an Israeli attack in Tehran on July 31.

In a televised statement Mr Hayya spoke of Mr Sinwar as “the fallen martyr,” who “met his end standing brave, with his head held high, holding his firearm, firing until the last breath, until the last moment of his life.”