Hamas's Gaza-based leader Yahya Sinwar has been incommunicado for a long time, making Israel look for evidence of his possible death.

The reports, published by outlets such as Kan public broadcaster, Haaretz, Maariv, and Walla News, suggest that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Military Intelligence Directorate has been considering the possibility that Yahya Sinwar was killed during airstrikes in Gaza.

But as the president said the other day, everything is unrealistic until all of a sudden it's not anymore,” the White House national security communications adviser said.