Hamas official confirms Sinwar’s death
Jerusalem, Oct 18: Hamas confirmed Friday that its leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, and the militant group reiterated its stance that hostages taken from Israel a year ago will not be released until there is a cease-fire in Gaza and a withdrawal of Israeli troops.
“Those prisoners will not return to you before the end of the aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal from Gaza,” said Khalil al-Hayya, who was Sinwar’s Qatar-based deputy and headed up the group’s delegation during several rounds of cease-fire negotiations mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt.
In a statement, Hamas heralded Sinwar as a hero who “ascended as a heroic martyr, advancing and not retreating, brandishing his weapon, engaging and confronting the occupation army at the forefront of the ranks.”
The statement appeared to refer to a video the Israeli military circulated of Sinwar’s apparent last moments in which a man sits on a chair in severely damaged building, badly wounded and covered in dust. In the video, the man raises his hand and flings a stick at an approaching Israeli drone.
Sinwar’s killing, in what appeared to be a chance front-line encounter with Israeli troops on Wednesday, could shift the dynamics of the Gaza war even as Israel presses its offensive against Hezbollah with ground troops in southern Lebanon and airstrikes in other areas of the country. Hezbollah has fired rockets into Israel nearly every day since the Israel-Hamas war began.
Both Hamas and Hezbollah are backed by Iran, which hailed Sinwar as a martyr who can inspire others in challenging Israel.
Israel has pledged to destroy Hamas politically in Gaza, and killing Sinwar was a top military priority. Photos which were apparently taken by Israeli troops on the scene showed the body of a man who appeared to be him, half-buried in rubble and with a gaping wound in his head.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech announcing the killing Thursday night that “our war is not yet ended.” But many, from the governments of Israel’s allies to exhausted residents of Gaza, expressed hope that Sinwar’s death would pave the way for an end to the war.
In Israel, families of hostages still held in Gaza demanded the Israeli government use Sinwar’s killing as a way to restart negotiations to bring home their loved ones. There are about 100 hostages remaining in Gaza, at least 30 of whom Israel says are dead.
“We are at an inflection point where the goals set for the war with Gaza have been achieved, all but the release of the hostages,” Ronen Neutra, father of the Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra, said in a video statement.
“Sinwar, who was described as a major obstacle to a deal, is no longer alive.” Netanyahu was planning to convene a special meeting Friday to discuss hostage negotiations, an Israeli official with knowledge of the negotiations said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information.
Biden calls Sinwar’s death a ‘good day’, ‘opportunity’ for talks
US President Joe Biden called the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar a “good day” for Israel, comparing the relief felt in that country to that felt in the US after the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011. He also said Sinwar’s death presented an “opportunity” for a political settlement between Israel and Palestine.
“This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world,” Biden said. “To my Israeli friends, this is no doubt a day of relief and reminiscence, similar to the scenes witnessed throughout the United States after President Obama ordered the raid to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2011.”
Appealing for an end to hostilities, Biden added: “There is now the opportunity for a “day after” in Gaza without Hamas in power, and for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains before us.” The Hamas leader is said to have masterminded the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel in which more than 1,200 people were killed on that day, including 46 Americans. (Agencies)