The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have killed Yahya Sinwar, a Hamas leader and architect of the deadly terror attack of 7 October, in a gun battle. The IDF and Israeli security agency Shin Bet both confirmed the death of Sinwar, which took place in the town of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Sinwar was not being directly targeted, and troops only realized that one of the three terrorists killed in the incident was apparently Sinwar when they inspected the scene on Thursday morning.
DNA and other tests were conducted to identify Sinwar, making it almost certain that the notorious Hamas leader was killed. This marks a major milestone in Israel’s war against Hamas and other terrorist organizations, as the primary goal of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is to ‘wipe out’ Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to the news by stating that Israel has ‘settled its account’ with Sinwar, but emphasized that ‘the war is not yet over.’ He added that ‘light is prevailing over darkness’ in the region and described Sinwar’s death as an ‘important landmark’ in the group’s decline. Netanyahu firmly stated that Hamas will no longer rule Gaza.
Yahya Sinwar is dead.
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 17, 2024
He was killed in Rafah by the brave soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces.
While this is not the end of the war in Gaza, it's the beginning of the end. pic.twitter.com/C6wAaLH1YW
US President Joe Biden said that Sinwar’s death marks a moment of relief for Israelis while providing an opportunity for a ‘day after’ in Gaza without Hamas in power. ‘Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains ahead of us,’ Biden said in a statement. The president added that he would soon speak with Netanyahu to discuss the pathway for bringing the hostages home to their families and for ending this war once and for all. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel joined Biden in calling for a ceasefire between the parties.
Most analyses suggest that with Sinwar’s death, Washington is likely to renew its efforts to pressure Israel to end the war. This has been confirmed by US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, who stated that Washington aims to initiate ceasefire talks and secure the release of hostages. However, this is unlikely to happen, especially since Hezbollah, the Lebanese terrorist organization, has vowed to escalate its fight against Israel following Sinwar’s death.
Iran, Israel’s arch-foe and a supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, stated that the ‘spirit of resistance will be strengthened’ after Sinwar’s death. ‘When Muslims look up to the Martyr Sinwar standing on the battlefield—in combat attire and out in the open, not in a hideout, facing the enemy—the spirit of resistance will be strengthened,’ Iran’s United Nations mission wrote in a post on X.
When U.S. forces dragged a disheveled Saddam Hussein out of an underground hole, he begged them not to kill him despite being armed. Those who regarded Saddam as their model of resistance eventually collapsed. However, when Muslims look up to Martyr Sinwar standing on the… pic.twitter.com/S1QUN47y83
— I.R.IRAN Mission to UN, NY (@Iran_UN) October 17, 2024
In their first public response following Sinwar’s death, Hamas stated that it would not relent in its fight. ‘Israel believes that killing our leaders means the end of our movement and the struggle of the Palestinian people,’ Basem Naim, a member of the organization’s political bureau, told NBC News. He added: ‘Each time, Hamas became stronger and more popular, and these leaders became icons for future generations to continue the journey towards a free Palestine.’
Sinwar was an early member of Hamas, initially known for his brutal treatment of suspected collaborators. He originally led the security wing of the terrorist organization, tasked with rooting out Israeli spies within Hamas ranks. He was arrested in the late 1980s and sentenced to four life terms for crimes, including the killing of two Israeli soldiers. Ironically, Sinwar was diagnosed with brain cancer and was saved by Israeli doctors.
He was announced as the new leader of Hamas in early August, following the assassination of former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, an act attributed to Israel. Sinwar was the most powerful Hamas leader left alive after Haniyeh’s death.
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