After more than 600 days of war and years of being steered by the brothers Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar, Hamas has a new leader in the Gaza Strip.

The confirmation of Mr Sinwar’s death changes little in and of itself. Hamas has already appointed a replacement and it has weathered the killings of many of its bosses. But it could shift the balance within the movement’s leadership, formerly dominated by Gazans, just as Israel once again increases pressure on the coastal strip.

As Abu Shabab and his militia continue to fend off the allegations, Basem Naim, Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson, asserted that the group had little influence in Gaza, marking an apparent blow to Israel's efforts to challenge Hamas' rule in the territory.

The Israeli military recovered the body of de facto Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar in a tunnel underneath the European Hospital in southern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday.

The Israeli military says it detained Hamas members during an operation in southern Syria. A local TV station in Syria reported that a force of about 100 Israeli troops stormed the southern Syrian village of Beit Jin near the border with Lebanon early Thursday,

The military said that Hamas embedded the weapon production facility in close proximity to a medical site, and that the medical site was not damaged during the strike.

Hamas leaders outside the strip – currently based in Doha, Beirut and Istanbul – "have the upper hand once again". They are "expected to support" a ceasefire deal "relinquishing Hamas' post-war role in Gaza but preserving its standing in the Arab world".