• No word from Hamas; Israel claims death confirmed through DNA evidence
• Biden says ‘key obstacle to Gaza ceasefire’ removed

JERUSALEM: Israel on Thursday claimed to have killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in an operation in Gaza, sparking concerns that the development may hinder ceasefire efforts and escalate the conflict in the Middle East.

The Israeli military and the country’s foreign minister claimed that Mr Sinwar was “eliminated by IDF soldiers” on Wednesday. However, Hamas did not immediately confirm his death.

Israeli officials initially matched Mr Sinwar’s dental information and fingerprints with records on file, the Israeli police said in a statement, according to the New York Times. A sample of his DNA was tested to confirm his identity, an Israeli official with knowledge of the matter told the newspaper.

While there was no immediate comment from Hamas, sources in the group said that indications from Gaza suggested Mr Sinwar had been killed in an Israeli operation.

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In Israel, families of prisoners held in Gaza said they hoped that a ceasefire could now be reached that would bring home the captives.

In Gaza, pounded relentlessly by Israeli forces for a year, residents said they believed the war would continue, but they still clung to their hope of self-determination.

Netanyahu, speaking in Jerusalem just after the death was confirmed, said Mr Sinwar’s death offered the chance of peace in the Middle East, but warned that the war in Gaza was not over and Israel would continue until its prisoners were returned.

Mr Sinwar rose through the ranks of the Palestinian group to become first its leader in Gaza, then its overall head after the killing in July of political chief Ismail Haniyeh.

West hails killing

The news of Mr Sinwar’s death was hailed by Western nations, with US President Joe Biden calling it a “good day” for the world, saying it also removed a key obstacle to a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner deal, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying his country “will not mourn” the Hamas leader’s death.

“This is a good day for Israel, for the US, and for the world,” Mr Biden, who was travelling to Germany on Air Force One as the news broke, said in a statement.

“There is now the opportunity for a ‘day after’ in Gaza without Hamas in power, and for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

Vice President Kamala Harris also welcomed Mr Sinwar’s death as a chance to put an end to the war in Gaza. “This moment gives us an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza,” she said.

The US is going to try to push forward a proposal for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli prisoners after the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Thursday. Miller told a regular press briefing that with Sinwar out of the picture, Washington saw an opportunity to end the war.

“Over the past few weeks, there have been no negotiations for an end to the war because Sinwar has refused to negotiate,” Miller claimed.

Separately, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said Washington would redouble efforts in the days ahead to end the conflict in Gaza following the death of the Hamas leader.

Iranian officials did not immediately comment on reports of Mr Sinwar’s death, but supporters of the government started posting messages of condolence on social media. Iranian state news media published Mr Sinwar’s biography and said that the ideology of Hamas would endure long after the death of its leaders.

Some of Hamas’s most prominent figures who are still believed to be alive or whose fate is unclear include Khaled Meshal, a former political head of Hamas; Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy leader of Hamas in Gaza; Mousa Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’s top political bureau; and Muhammad Deif, the commander of Hamas’s military.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2024