Russia 'concerned' over possible consequences of assassination of Hamas leader

Russia is "concerned" about the possible consequences for the Middle East after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israel, the Kremlin spokesperson said on Friday.

"The main thing for us is the consequences for the civilian population that we are witnessing. This is of significant concern to us. The humanitarian catastrophe that is being observed in both Gaza and Lebanon is a matter of serious concern to us," Dmitry Peskov said in a press briefing in Moscow.

On Thursday, Israeli army spokesperson Avichae Adree announced the killing of Sinwar in Gaza, with Hamas confirming it on Friday.

Although the army did not specify the location of Sinwar's death, Israeli media reports suggested the operation took place in the southern city of Rafah.

Reports indicate that Sinwar, Israel's top target, was killed during a field confrontation, where he was dressed in a full military uniform, contradicting previous Israeli claims that he had been hiding among Israeli prisoners in tunnels for months in the Gaza Strip.