The elimination of Israel’s Enemy No. 1 Yahya Sinwar
The death of October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar has left Hamas leaderless and weakened, raising hopes of an end to the war in Gaza as Israel warns its mission is not yet complete.
The death of October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar has left Hamas leaderless and in disarray, raising hopes of an end to the war in Gaza, as Israel warns the terrorist group’s remaining fighters to release their hostages or face the same fate.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Hamas chief’s death marked “the beginning of the end” of the conflict, but warned his country’s mission was not yet complete.
As world leaders held their breath at the prospect of a ceasefire, Mr Netanyahu, in a grim video message, offered the terrorists still holding more than 100 kidnapped Israelis a chance to save themselves if they laid down their arms and walked away. But he warned “those who harm our hostages, his blood is on his head and we will settle accounts with him”.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris hailed Sinwar’s death, urging Israel to take the opportunity to bring the war to a close.
“Now is the time to move on,” the US President said. “It’s time for this war to end and bring these hostages home.”
Israel had waged a massive manhunt for Sinwar, who ordered Hamas’s October 7 attack on the Jewish state that killed more than 1200 people and led to 250 hostages being seized. But his death came by chance when a unit of trainee Israeli squad commanders opened fire on three suspicious figures in Rafah on Wednesday. His identity only became apparent a day later with an announcement made about 4am (AEDT) on Friday.
An Israeli tank shelled two buildings where the figures took refuge, taking out the man later identified as Sinwar after he threw a piece of wood at a drone sent in to investigate. Edited footage from the drone showed the terrorist leader’s final moments, sitting in a chair shrouded in a green keffiyah and covered in dust before lashing out at the unmanned aircraft.
Israeli soldiers found his body in a pile of rubble with half his head caved in, immediately noting the resemblance to Sinwar.
They prised open his mouth with a stick, revealing his distinctive worn and chipped teeth. His identity was later confirmed with DNA and dental records.
His death represents Israel’s most devastating blow to the terrorist group since the start of the war, and follows its assassination of Hamas’s military chief Mohammed Deif in Gaza in July and its political chief Ismail Haniyeh weeks later in Tehran. The hunt has now intensified for the slain Hamas leader’s brother and potential successor, Muhammad.
The terrorist group’s sponsor, Iran, declared Yahya Sinwar a martyr, saying his death would strengthen the “spirit of resistance” against Israel.
It said that unlike former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who was dragged from an underground hole begging for mercy, Sinwar was killed “facing the enemy”.
“He will become a model for the youth and children who will carry forward his path toward the liberation of Palestine,” Iran’s mission to the UN posted on X.
Tehran’s comments came as it braced for an imminent strike on its military facilities in retaliation for Iran’s October 1 missile attack on the Jewish state, amid Israeli assurances to Washington that its response would spare the country’s nuclear and oil sites.
Hezbollah, whose leader Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated by Israel in Beirut weeks ago, vowed after Sinwar’s death to intensify its attacks on the Jewish state with precision-guided missiles.
The families of some of the kidnapped Israelis believed still to be held in Gaza said they feared their loved ones were now in even greater danger and it was time to do a deal to secure their freedom.
Einav Zangauker, whose 24-year-old son was abducted by Hamas on October 7, issued a video appeal urging Mr Netanyahu to “bring them all back”.
“We have settled the score with the chief murderer Sinwar,” Ms Zangauker said. “But now, more than ever, the lives of Matan, my son, and the other hostages, are in tangible danger.”
Anthony Albanese said Sinwar was an “enemy of peace-loving people everywhere”, and his killing could help bring peace to Gaza. “His death is a significant moment and can be a vital turning point in this devastating conflict,” the Prime Minister said.
He reiterated his calls for a ceasefire and a two-state solution.
Peter Dutton said it was a “great day” for the world, as his home affairs spokesman James Paterson declared Sinwar would still be alive if Israel had heeded the Albanese government’s demands months ago for an “immediate ceasefire”.
Mr Netanyahu told Israelis the country had fulfilled its vow to strike back at the architect of the worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust. “Today, as we promised we would, we settled accounts with him,’’ he said. “Today, evil suffered a heavy blow, but our mission is not yet completed.”
Addressing Palestinians in Gaza, the Israeli Prime Minister said Sinwar had “destroyed” their lives. “He told you he was a lion but in practice, he hid in a dark tunnel and was eliminated when he fled in a panic from our soldiers,” Mr Netanyahu said.
He said Hamas’s leaders were “fleeing” and would be eliminated, and Gaza would “finally be free of its tyranny”.
“I say to all those who are holding our hostages: those who put down their weapons and leave our hostages, we will allow them to come out and live,” he said.
In a separate English language video pitched at international leaders who had long pushed for a ceasefire, the Israeli Prime Minister declared: “This war can end tomorrow. It can end if Hamas lays down its arms and returns our hostages.”
After months of tension between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu, the US President called the Israeli Prime Minister to congratulate him on the killing of the terrorist chief, saying Sinwar had “a lot of blood on his hands – American blood, Israeli blood, and others”. He said it was time to bring home the hostages, and he hoped a ceasefire was possible.
The US Vice President said “justice has been served”, and the “entire world” was now better off.
“This moment gives us an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza, and it must end such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realise their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.” Ms Harris said.
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