Targeting Hamas Leadership

By Abigail BeDard

Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas and architect of the October 7^th attack on Israel, was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday, October 16^th. Sinwar was killed in Tal as-Sultan, Rafah, by a group of Israeli soldiers while on a regular patrol. In video footage captured by an IDF drone shortly before his death, a man who they claim to be Sinwar can be seen caked in dust and badly wounded, resting in an armchair of a ruined home. After a tense stare down, Sinwar attempts to throw a stick at the drone with his left arm, while blood appears to leak from a severe injury on his right. The IDF reported that shortly after the footage was taken, Sinwar was shot, and the building was shelled. The IDF confirmed Sinwar’s death on October 17^th with a three-word tweet that read, “Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar”. The confirmation came after Sinwar’s body was taken back to Israel for conclusive DNA identification.

Sinwar had served as leader of Hamas since the deaths of the group’s previous leaders, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Deif in July. Sinwar previously spent 22 years in prison before he was freed in 2011 during an exchange of prisoners.  It has widely been reported that Sinwar used his time in the Israeli prison to learn Hebrew and “study his enemy”. Yahya Sinwar certainly loomed large in Gaza and was known as a cunning and brutal leader. His death comes shortly after that of Hassan Nasrallah, former leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, who was also killed by the IDF on September 27^th.  The deaths of these two leaders have landed a significant blow against Iran’s “axis of resistance”, which includes both Hamas and Hezbollah.

Responses to Sinwar’s death have been mixed. President Joe Biden responded to the news on Thursday, stating that Sinwar’s death is a, “Good day for the world”, but that, “now’s the time to move on… move toward a cease-fire in Gaza, make sure that we move in a direction that we’re able to make things better for the whole world”.  Vice President Harris issued a similar response, declaring that it is, “Time for the day after to begin”. Many Israeli’s have echoed President Biden’s sentiments; Giora Eiland, former head of Israel’s National Security Council stated, “The opportunity to end the war entirely, as well as in Lebanon… it is entirely in our hands”. Families of hostages in Gaza also called on Prime Minister Netanyahu, issuing impassioned pleas to end the war and save their loved ones.
Despite these pleas, Netanyahu showed no intention of coming to an immediate ceasefire agreement in the wake of Sinwar’s death. He responded in a video that praised the death of the former Hamas leader but reiterated that “…the task before us is not yet complete… the war is not over yet”. Netanyahu went on to claim that the war would not end until all Israeli hostages in Gaza were released. In a video response on Friday, Khalil Al-Hayya, Deputy Head of Hamas said Israeli hostages would not be returned until Israeli aggression ended, its forces withdrew, and Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli prisons. Iran’s response to Sinwar’s death also did not signal plans for an end to the war, stating that his death, “would only fuel the spirit of resistance”.