TEL AVIV: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday said that they have surrounded the house of Hamas senior most leader Yahya Sinwar in Khan Younis area of Gaza.

“We have surrounded his house but could not locate Sinwar. He has gone into hiding,” a top IDF ranking officer told IANS.

The IDF has claimed that Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar -- Hamas' two top leaders -- are allegedly behind mastering the October 7 attacks on southern Israel.

The IDF officer told IANS that Sinwar has gone hiding in the Hamas tunnel network in southern Gaza.

The Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said that IDF will search for Sinwar.

The IDF has also claimed that most of the middle rung leaders Hamas have been killed since Israel began its ground offensive in Gaza.

Israel has killed over 15,000 Palestinians since the October 7 attacks -- mostly children and women -- while 1400 Israelis were killed by Hamas.