Security officials have said that the chances that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in a strike in Gaza are "increasingly higher," Israeli media reported on Thursday.

The IDF and Shin Bet (ISA) put out a joint statement on the possible assassination earlier Thursday.

"Initial report - During IDF operations in the Gaza Strip, three terrorists were eliminated. The IDF and Shin Bet are checking the possibility that one of the terrorists was Yahya Sinwar. At this stage, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed," the IDF said.

"In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of the presence of hostages in the area. The forces that are operating in the area are continuing to operate with the required caution."

Sky News Arabia published a report shortly after, quoting a security official as saying that his death is confirmed.

One of the Hamas members  targeted in the IDF strike in Gaza was Hamas's Khan Yunis division commander, who Army Radio reported on Thursday has been in close proximity to Sinwar since the start of the war. According to the Army Radio report, Israel's confirmation of the division commander's death is a significant sign that Sinwar was among those killed in the IDF strike.

The IDF also believes that Sinwar stayed in the tunnel with the six slain hostages, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Ori Danino, who were being held in Rafah. According to the IDF, after the hostages were executed, he started to move without other hostages as human shields. (The Jeruselum Post)