Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar has been killed in a chance encounter with Israeli forces in Rafah in southern Gaza. A photo taken at the scene shows Sinwar, dressed in combat gear, lying dead in the rubble of a building that was hit by a tank shell. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the soldiers and made clear that however big a victory, it is not the end of the war. However, Hamas has not yet confirmed his death. Sinwar was one of the masterminds behind last year’s October 7 attacks on Israel.
61-year old Sinwar, widely known as Abu Ibrahim, was appointed head of Hamas’ political bureau, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh who was killed in Tehran in July, this year.
Weeks before, Israel also killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, through airstrikes in Lebanon.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the US will intensify efforts in the coming days to end the war in Gaza following the apparent killing of Sinwar. In his statement, Mr Blinken noted that Sinwar had previously rebuffed attempts by the US and its partners to resolve the conflict through an agreement that would return hostages to their families and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. Mr Blinken echoed the sentiments of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, urging that Israel use Sinwar’s killing to bring a swift end to the war.
US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have agreed on an opportunity to push for the release of hostages, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office. In a phone call, both leaders pledged to work together to achieve this goal.
