Professor of international law calls Sinwar’s killing ‘murder,’ demands war crimes probe

Canadian international law professor specializing in war crimes decries elimination of top Hamas terrorist as ‘murder,’ demands Canada push for investigation of IDF’s killing of Yahya Sinwar.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

The Israeli military’s killing of the leader of the Hamas terror organization was illegal under international law, constitutes murder, and is a war crime, a Canadian international law professor claims, pushing the Canadian government to demand an investigation of the incident.

Heidi Matthews, an international law professor focusing on the study of laws of war at the York University in Toronto’ Osgoode Hall Law School, on Friday lambasted Israel’s elimination of Hamas politburo chairman and chief of Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar.

Sinwar, the architect of the October 7^th, 2023, invasion of Israel and massacre of 1,200 Israelis, was killed Wednesday during a gun battle with IDF troops in Tel al-Sultan in the southern edge of Rafah near the Egyptian border.

During the battle between Sinwar, his bodyguards, and IDF forces, an Israeli soldier was seriously wounded.

An IDF tank sent to support the troops opened fire on the building where Sinwar was holed up, leaving the terrorist leader injured.

Despite his injuries, Sinwar managed to throw several hand grenades at IDF soldiers as they stormed the building, forcing them to withdraw, while the tank’s machine gun turret and other soldiers provided covering fire aimed at Sinwar.

A drone aircraft was sent into the building to ascertain Sinwar’s condition. The wounded terrorist threw a piece of wood in an attempt to knock down the drone.

Sinwar’s remains were later found with an AK-47 assault rifle.

A day after Sinwar’s killing, shortly after forensics investigators in Israel confirmed his identity, French Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed Sinwar’s death, calling it the end of “a reign of terror” in the Gaza Strip.

“Under Sinwar’s leadership, Hamas carried out the horrific atrocities of October 7, sought to destroy Israel, and launched senseless, devastating terror attacks on civilians across the region. Today delivers a measure of justice for his victims and their families,” Trudeau said.

Taking to X/Twitter Friday, Matthews called on Trudeau’s government to push for a probe of Sinwar’s killing, claiming that it constituted murder and a war crime.

“There is good reason to believe that Sinwar was, in fact, murdered by the IDF,’ Matthews wrote.

“Rather than celebrating death using inflammatory language of ‘elimination’, Canada should be demanding that Israel comply with an independent investigation into the circumstances of Sinwar’s death.”

Sinwar, Matthews argued, could no longer be considered a combatant and thus a legitimate target after being wounded, claiming the additional shots fired were prohibited under the 1949 Geneva Convention.

“Briefly for now: individuals who are rendered ‘hors to combat’ (no longer in the fight) by virtue of wounding cannot be targeted. To do so is a violation of common article 3 to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and a war crime under the art. 8(2)(c)(i) of the Rome Statute.”

“The relevant question is whether Sinwar was incapacitated by his wounds such that he was disabled from participating in fighting and no longer posed a threat. This question is easier to answer when fighters are unconscious or on the ground.”

CanadaIDFJustin TrudeauYahya Sinwar