Friday October 18, 2024
YAHYA SINWAR, leader of Hamas in Gaza, gestures on stage during a rally in Gaza City on May 24 (photo credit: ATIA MOHAMMED/FLASH90)
Mogadishu (HOL) — Hamas has confirmed that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of its political wing, was killed during combat with Israeli forces in Gaza. Sinwar, who had led the group since 2017, died in battle in southern Gaza, where he had been engaged in direct confrontations with Israeli troops. Hamas has vowed that Sinwar’s death will not halt its struggle for Palestinian liberation, continuing its resistance against Israeli military operations.
In its confirmation statement, Hamas announced that Yahya Sinwar was killed while actively engaged in battle with Israeli forces in Gaza. The group hailed him as a martyr who fought “until the last moment of his life.”
Senior Hamas official Khalil Hayya stated that Israeli captives held in Gaza would not be released until Israeli forces cease their attacks and withdraw from the territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, made it clear that Israel’s military campaign is far from over, declaring that Sinwar’s death would not mark the end of the war in Gaza.
The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. The Hamas attack killed 1,139 Israelis and led to the capture of more than 200 hostages. In response, Israel has launched a full-scale military assault on Gaza that many have compared to genocide. The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 42,500 people have been killed, and nearly 100,000 have been wounded. In the latest 24-hour period, 62 people were killed, and 300 were injured as Israeli forces intensified their attacks in northern Gaza, cutting off communication and internet networks.
The hostilities have displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and sparked international calls for a ceasefire, though Israel shows no sign of halting its operations.
The killing of Sinwar has drawn condemnation from Hezbollah and Iran, both long-standing allies of Hamas. Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, expressed deep condolences and reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian cause, vowing to continue military operations against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon in solidarity with Gaza.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement denouncing Israel for Sinwar’s assassination, calling it a “heartbreaking loss” and accusing Israel of committing atrocities against Palestinians. However, analysts note that Iran’s reaction has been more measured compared to its response to the deaths of key Hezbollah leaders, reflecting the fact that while Hamas is an ally, it is not a direct Iranian proxy like Hezbollah.
The death of Sinwar has spurred diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire. U.S. President Joe Biden, along with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has renewed calls for a cessation of hostilities. The Biden administration suggested that Sinwar’s death could present an opportunity for peace talks, with White House spokesperson John Kirby calling the situation “a unique moment” that may weaken Hamas’s military capabilities.
Nonetheless, both Biden and Scholz reiterated their countries’ unyielding support for Israel’s right to defend itself, with Germany pledging continued military aid. Netanyahu has also emphasized that Israeli forces will continue their operations in Gaza until their objectives are fully achieved.
Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, dismissed Israeli claims that Sinwar had used civilians as human shields, arguing that Sinwar was actively engaged in the fighting and was killed while defending Gaza. “Sinwar gave the world an image of Netanyahu’s failure,” Barghouti said, underscoring the symbolic importance of Sinwar’s death to Palestinians.
The Israeli military confirmed that Sinwar was killed during a ground operation in Tal as-Sultan, southern Gaza. Infantry troops from the Bislach Brigade encountered Sinwar and two other Hamas fighters moving between damaged buildings. After a brief firefight, Sinwar retreated into a heavily bombed building.
Footage released by the Israeli military shows Sinwar, wounded, sitting in the building before throwing a stick at a surveillance drone. Israeli forces then targeted the building with a tank shell. The next morning, Israeli soldiers entered the building, discovering Sinwar’s body along with his weapon and a flak jacket. His identity was confirmed through dental records, fingerprints, and DNA testing.
