The IDF updated on Friday that the pistol found on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar does not match the pistol of Lt. Col. Mahmoud Khir al-Din who fell in battle during a covert operation in Khan Yunis in 2018.
The IDF sent the pistol for examination at the special operations base of Military Intelligence to check whether it belonged to Khir al-Din. As stated, the examination shows that it is not the same pistol.
It should be noted that alongside the bodies of Sinwar and other terrorists who were with him and were also eliminated in Rafah, a large amount of cash, a UNRWA employee's passport, and other weapons were found.
Mahmoud served as an officer in the special operations department of the Intelligence Directorate. His name and photo were only cleared for publication in May 2022, about four years after he fell in the Strip.
On November 11, 2018, his unit entered the Khan Yunis area in the Gaza Strip. The force was traveling in a vehicle with food. A Hamas force stopped them for inspection, and after arousing their suspicion, more Hamas personnel arrived at the scene.
The special force opened fire to extricate themselves from the place and killed seven terrorists. During the exchange of fire, Lt. Col. Mahmoud was accidentally killed by IDF fire.
Air Force planes attacked the Hamas forces that started chasing the IDF soldiers. A Yasur helicopter from the Air Force carrying soldiers and a doctor from Unit 669 rescued them back to Israel. According to Hamas, the force consisted of seven soldiers who spoke Arabic.
The Chief of Staff at the time, Aviv Kochavi, awarded Lt. Col. Mahmoud a commendation for his activity in this operation, after demonstrating responsibility, leadership, cool-headedness, and extraordinary bravery under fire to protect his comrades, out of initiative and striving for engagement. Mahmoud's widow received the decoration after his death.