Social media reacts to killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar

Following the announcement of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's killing on Thursday, social media exploded with a mix of sympathy, mourning, admiration and criticism. The hashtag #Sinwar went viral on X, formerly Twitter, with over two million shares as users discussed his legacy and his final moments.

Thousands of people also shared drone footage released by the Israeli military appearing to show Sinwar's final moments.

The video shows what appears to be an injured Sinwar in military fatigues, with an amputated arm, throwing a piece of debris towards the drone camera, which many users praised as "a last act of defiance" and as symbolic of his dedication to the Palestinian cause.

Hamas is proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK, US and European Union. Sinwar is widely ascribed to be the architect of the 7 October Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel, in which more than 1100 people were killed and around 250 taken captive by Palestinian fighters.

"He died an honorable death. A warrior's death, among his men, one with his people, in defense of his land against a genocidal intruder, occupier, and colonizer," one user wrote.

"The last episode of Sinwar's life could not have been better written by the most gifted playwright: not in a tunnel, a secret bunker, or a far-off palace, and not while engaging in some unworthy act. He died resisting," they continued.

"[H]e threw a stick at the drone filming him – a final act of defiance... In his death, he became a legend," commented an X user in a post that gained over 27,000 reshares at the time of publication.

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'Resistance never dies': Social media reacts to killing of Yahya Sinwar