The year 2024 witnessed the demise of several prominent figures on the global stage, from outspoken political critics to leaders of terrorist organizations. Here's a look at five individuals whose deaths marked significant turning points:

Alexei Navalny (February 16)

Alexei Navalny, a staunch critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, passed away in a Siberian penal colony. Russian authorities attributed his death to a sudden illness following a walk. However, Navalny's widow disputed this account, alleging a cover-up and suggesting foul play. Navalny's imprisonment stemmed from charges he maintained were politically motivated. This followed a suspected poisoning attempt in 2020 involving a Novichok nerve agent.

Image: Alexei Navalny at a rally in Moscow, Russia (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Ebrahim Raisi (May 19)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials, perished in a helicopter crash in a mountainous region of Iran. Known as the "Butcher of Tehran," Raisi had faced sanctions from the first Trump administration for his alleged involvement in past human rights abuses. An official investigation attributed the crash to adverse weather conditions.

Image: Raisi and Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit (Sputnik/Alexandr Demyanchuk/Reuters)

Ismail Haniyeh (July 31)

Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was killed in an airstrike in Tehran. While no group claimed responsibility, Israel was suspected given its prior threats against Hamas leadership following attacks on Israel. Haniyeh had a long history with Hamas, including imprisonment by Israel and deportation to Lebanon. He was later designated a terrorist by the United States.

Image: Ismail Haniyeh at a press conference in Tehran (Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency/Reuters)

Hassan Nasrallah (September 27)

Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, was eliminated in an Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut. The IDF attributed numerous terrorist attacks and the militarization of Lebanon to Nasrallah's leadership.

Image: IDF profile picture of Hassan Nasrallah (IDF Spokesman's Unit)

Yahya Sinwar (October 16)

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed during an Israeli operation in Gaza. Sinwar was considered the mastermind behind the October 7th attacks on Israeli civilians. Known as the "Butcher of Khan Younis," Sinwar had been a prime target for Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Sinwar had attempted to evade Israeli forces before his death.

Image: Yahya Sinwar fleeing into a tunnel in Gaza (IDF)