Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's demise shifts Gaza conflict dynamics
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed on Wednesday in a shootout with Israeli soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip, an armed forces spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, reported on Thursday evening.
Israeli soldiers were searching the area of the Tel al-Sultan refugee camp near the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip after receiving information that senior Hamas commanders were hiding there. The soldiers spotted three militants moving between buildings and opened fire on them. A gunfight ensued, and the army reported that Sinwar took cover in the ruins of one of the houses.
"He tried to escape, and our forces eliminated him," added Hagari. The Israeli army also released footage from a drone that located Sinwar. It shows a masked injured man trying to knock down the drone by throwing a long object at it. According to media reports, the building was also fired upon by a tank.
Media reported that the identity of the deceased was confirmed through dental and DNA tests, based on documentation prepared during the time Sinwar was imprisoned in an Israeli jail.
The world reacts to Sinwar's death
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin commented on the elimination of the Hamas leader, stating that it was a significant achievement that presents a remarkable opportunity to end "this terrible war" between Israel and Hamas.
"Sinwar's death also provides an extraordinary opportunity to achieve a lasting ceasefire, end this terrible war, allow Israelis to return safely to their homes in southern Israel, rush in far more humanitarian assistance to ease the misery in Gaza, and bring relief and hope to the Palestinians who have endured so much under Hamas's oppressive rule," Austin stated.
Meanwhile, the French newspaper "Le Figaro" is less enthusiastic about the de-escalation in the Middle East. The newspaper described Sinwar's elimination as an "undeniable military victory" but emphasized that it does not eliminate the threat. According to the newspaper, Israel should foresee a political solution for the Gaza Strip.
"Le Figaro" also noted that Sinwar was reportedly killed "almost by accident," not during a deliberate special forces operation. According to the newspaper, it proves that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "was right in maintaining the presence of ground troops (in the Gaza Strip), despite pressure from the international community, opposition, hostages' families (abducted by Hamas - editor's note), and even parts of the armed forces' general staff."
