Israel announced on Thursday the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the 7 October attack, calling his death a “major blow” to the Palestinian group it has been fighting for over a year.
The Israeli military stated that “after a year-long pursuit,” troops “eliminated Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terrorist organisation, during an operation in the southern Gaza Strip” on Wednesday. Hamas has not confirmed his death.
People were seen celebrating in Jerusalem, waving Israeli flags, following the news of Sinwar’s death. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked, “Today, evil has suffered a major blow,” but added that the war was “not yet over,” and described Sinwar’s death as a significant milestone in the battle against Hamas.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz described Sinwar as a “mass murderer” responsible for the 7 October massacre, while President Isaac Herzog praised the killing of the militant leader behind “terrible acts of terrorism.” Israel had been hunting Sinwar since the Gaza war began, accusing him of orchestrating the deadliest attack in the country’s history.
Sinwar, who rose through the ranks of Hamas to become its leader in Gaza and later its overall head after the death of Ismail Haniyeh in July, was a key figure in Hamas’s operations. His death comes weeks after Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah during a strike in Lebanon, where Israel has also been engaged in conflict since September.
The death of Sinwar could deal a significant blow to Hamas, which has been severely weakened over the course of the Gaza war. U.S. President Joe Biden, whose administration is a major arms supplier to Israel, stated, “This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world,” and expressed hope for a post-Hamas future in Gaza, along with the possibility of a political settlement benefiting both Israelis and Palestinians.
Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi vowed to continue pursuing the terrorists responsible for the 7 October attack and securing the release of hostages taken by Hamas. According to Israeli data, the attack resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, while Israel’s retaliatory strikes in Gaza have claimed 42,438 lives, the majority of whom were civilians, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to defeating Hamas and freeing the 97 remaining hostages, including 34 whom Israeli officials believe are dead.