IDF kills Hamas leader Sinwar

Yahya Sinwar’s death brings mixed reactions.

On Oct. 16, the Israel Defense Forces reported that they had killed Yahya Sinwar, who was chosen as the new leader of Hamas following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in July. For days, Hamas released no statement in confirmation or denial of Sinwar’s death, but on Oct. 19, Hamas confirmed that Sinwar had, in fact, been killed.

The IDF had reportedly been on the search for Sinwar since Oct. 7 of last year. According to NPR, throughout this time, the IDF has claimed that Sinwar was hiding in Hamas tunnels with CNN stating that he had refused to go out in public, even to talk to other Hamas officials, giving them orders by writing instead. The idea that Hamas is hiding underground is an excuse Israel has repeatedly used to justify the bombing of hospitals, United Nations’ schools and other civilian infrastructure since the beginning of this new wave of the war in Gaza. Yet, according to the Associated Press, Sinwar was killed after Israeli soldiers found him above ground by pure happenstance. As per CNN, the cause of Sinwar’s death is presumed to be a shot in the head as an image of his body shows him with a headshot wound. Additionally, while analysts had previously suspected that Sinwar was using Israeli hostages as human shields, the IDF found him with no hostages around him.

In the aftermath of his death, many have expressed hope that the war on Gaza would soon come to an end. Two prominent figures who conveyed this sentiment have continually expressed it for at least eight months with President Joe Biden expressing his “hope” that a ceasefire will occur by “the end of the weekend” back in February, adding that “we’re close” to a ceasefire but “not done yet.”

In their statements on Oct. 17, the day after Sinwar’s death, Vice President Kamala Harris called Sinwar’s killing “an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza” and Biden said Sinwar was “an obstacle” and, with his death, one that “no longer exists.” Thus, despite the ceasefire deals that Hamas proposed and Israel rejected that would have caused the release of the hostages and end to the siege over Gaza months ago, the White House has placed the blame of a lack of ceasefire on Sinwar.

Following Sinwar’s death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu made clear Israel’s position that, despite the death of Sinwar who, as previously mentioned, Biden blamed for the lack of ceasefire, the attacks in Gaza will continue. According to the BBC, he said to his soldiers “The war… is not over yet,” adding that despite the siege “costing” Israel “dearly,” it will continue.

According to the New York Times, this comes while the families of Israelis taken into Gaza on Oct. 7 of last year say that now is the time for a hostage deal. One individual called out Netenyahu, saying “Netanyahu, there are no excuses left… You got your victory photo in Gaza,” so the Israeli government must agree to a deal. Several of them have expressed their belief that Netenyahu is “dragging his feet on ending the war” in order to maintain the power he almost lost prior to Oct. 7, 2023 and has since consolidated, says the New York Times.

For a year, Netenyahu has said that one of the primary purposes of Israel’s siege was the release of those taken on Oct. 7, 2023, yet when there has been an opportunity to do so, earlier in May for instance, he has passed, choosing instead to continue the siege while maintaining the excuse of wanting the release of the captured, which prompted one family member to tell Netanyahu to “Stop trying to sell your fake spins to the public as if you are doing everything to bring back the hostages.”

Post Author: Heba Saleh