Israeli forces have killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the 7th of October attack that sparked the Gaza war, in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Israel said on Thursday, the 17th of October, marking an important development and turning point for Israel in the year-long conflict, while Lebanon’s Hezbollah said on Friday it would escalate its war against Israel and Iran said “the spirit of resistance will be strengthened”, reports Reuters.
Western leaders said his death offered a chance to end the conflict, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war would continue until all hostages were returned.
“Today we have settled the score. Today evil was delivered a blow, but our task is not yet complete.” Netanyahu said in a recorded video statement after Sinwar’s death was confirmed on Thursday.
“To the dear families of the hostages, I say: this is an important moment in the war. We will continue with full force until all your loved ones, our loved ones, are home.”
Sinwar, the leader of Hamas after Ismail Haniyeh was killed in July, was killed on Wednesday by Israeli soldiers in a shooting attack in southern Gaza who initially did not know they had captured their country’s main enemy, Israeli officials said.
The military released a drone video showing Sinwar, who they said was sitting in a chair, covered in dust, in a destroyed building.
Raw footage of Yahya Sinwar’s last moments: pic.twitter.com/GJGDlu7bie
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) October 17, 2024
Hamas itself has made no comment, but sources within the group have stated that the information they have suggests that Sinwar was indeed killed by Israeli soldiers.
Sinwar’s death could exacerbate tensions in the Middle East, where Israel has already launched ground hostilities in Lebanon and is considering a response to the Iranian missile attack on the 1st of October.
As Sinwar was one of the key planners of last year’s attack that killed 1 200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostages, his death could also open the door to renewed efforts to end a conflict that has left more than 42 000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza health authorities.
US President Joe Biden, who spoke to Netanyahu by telephone to congratulate him, said Sinwar’s death was an opportunity to finally end the conflict in Gaza and bring home the Israeli hostages.
The US wants to resume talks to reach a ceasefire and the release of hostages, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, calling Sinwar the “main obstacle” to ending the war.
“That obstacle has clearly been removed. We can’t predict that whoever replaces (Sinwar) will agree to a ceasefire, but what has been the main obstacle to a ceasefire in recent months has been removed,” he said, adding that in recent weeks Sinwar had refused to negotiate at all.
Iran did not indicate that the killing would change its position. Following Sinwar’s death, “the spirit of resistance will be strengthened”, Iran’s UN mission said.
Hezbollah was also defiant, declaring it was “entering a new and escalating phase in its confrontation with Israel”.
The Israeli military said on Friday that it had also killed Muhammad Hasina Ramallah, a Hezbollah commander in the Taibe area of southern Lebanon.