On Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, was killed by Israel’s military forces on Wednesday. Katz stated that Sinwar’s elimination could facilitate the immediate release of hostages and potentially lead to a change that envisions a Gaza without Hamas or Iranian control. According to NBC News, he made this statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked that the death of Sinwar is a significant milestone but emphasized that the conflict is not yet concluded. Netanyahu claimed that Hamas would no longer govern Gaza and described it as the beginning of a new era without Hamas, offering the residents of Gaza the chance to break free from its rule.
In a video statement, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, affirmed their ongoing efforts to capture all individuals involved in the October 7 massacre and secure the release of all hostages. Earlier, the Israeli military indicated they were investigating the possibility that Sinwar was among three militants killed in an operation in the Gaza Strip, though identities were unconfirmed at the time. They mentioned in a social media post that their forces would continue operations with the necessary caution. CNBC was unable to independently verify this report.
U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the news and announced he would soon discuss the developments with Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders. His discussions would focus on facilitating the return of hostages and ending the conflict, which has excessively harmed innocent people. Biden was reportedly on his way to Germany for discussions on Ukraine and the Middle East when the news emerged.
Vice President Kamala Harris, during a campaign stop in Milwaukee, reiterated President Biden’s sentiments. She commented that Hamas’s leadership had been dismantled and emphasized the opportunity to end the conflict in Gaza while ensuring Israel’s security and the release of hostages.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, described Sinwar’s death as a seismic event altering the conflict’s dynamics. Miller accused Sinwar of being an obstacle to ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, noting that Sinwar’s removal presented an opportunity to renew peace efforts.
Yahya Sinwar, aged 62, had assumed leadership of the Iran-backed Hamas organization in Gaza following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. His death represents the most significant blow to Hamas in the ongoing conflict, which began with the group’s attacks on Israel on October 7.
The Israeli government, led by Netanyahu, initiated a retaliatory operation against Hamas in Gaza, aiming to dismantle its military capabilities and leadership. According to the local Health Ministry, over 42,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict since October 7, and 101 individuals abducted from Israel are believed to remain hostage. The Hostages Families Forum, representing families of the captives, welcomed the news but urged the Israeli government to leverage this moment to secure the return of hostages.
The conflict has expanded to include direct hostilities between Israel and Iran, along with clashes involving other Tehran-backed groups like Yemen’s Houthis and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The latter’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was reportedly killed by Israeli forces in an airstrike in Beirut last month. The Middle East conflict poses substantial risks to oil supplies, particularly if Israel targets Iran’s energy infrastructure in response to recent hostilities. Furthermore, Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, claiming links to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., have disrupted a crucial commercial route.
Sinwar was born in a refugee camp in Gaza and spent over two decades in Israeli prisons, having been sentenced to life in 1989 for the killing of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians suspected of collaboration. He was released early in a controversial 2011 prisoner swap. During his imprisonment, Sinwar reportedly learned Hebrew and studied the psychology of his Israeli captors.
In 2015, the U.S. designated him a terrorist. The International Criminal Court filed arrest warrant applications against Sinwar and Haniyeh for war crimes and crimes against humanity, alongside similar charges for Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The successor to Sinwar as the leader of Hamas remains uncertain, and the impact of his death on cease-fire negotiations is currently unclear.
