October 18, 2024
Hope for cease-fire after Hamas leader’s death, Netanyahu says hostages must be freed
Yahya Sinwar — who Israel says orchestrated the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023 — was killed during an Israeli military operation, Israeli authorities said after carrying out a DNA test on Thursday.
World leaders were quick to voice hope it could mark a turning point in Israel’s war against Hamas.
Former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed told DW that Sinwar’s death may raise hopes of bringing home Israeli hostages held by militants in Gaza.
“Sinwar was a major obstacle for ending the war” in Gaza because he didn’t move the slightest on the issue of releasing hostages, Melamed said.
Within hours of Sinwar’s reported death, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for Hamas to immediately release all hostages and surrender so that the war could be brought to an end.
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris compared the killing to that of Osama bin Laden, saying “there is now the opportunity for a ‘day after’ in Gaza without Hamas in power.”
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would continue fighting until the hostages were brought home.
“Today we have settled the score. Today evil has been dealt a blow but our task has still not been completed,” Netanyahu said. He did however also say that the war in Gaza “can end tomorrow” if the hostages are released and Hamas disarms.
The European Union as well as the United States, Germany and several other countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
mk/msh (AP, AFP, Reuters)
