The recent death of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, raises critical questions about the future of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Sinwar, a former prisoner released by Israel in the 2011 hostage exchange, and the architect of the 7 October massacre, was killed by Israel Defense Forces in a chance encounter in the southern Gazan city of Rafah on 18 October.
Footage of his last moments shows him in a half-collapsed building, seemingly having lost his right hand, throwing a stick at a drone with his left. This scene evokes contrasting interpretations: some see it as the final stand of a fighter who refused to yield, while others view it as the tragic end of a cornered leader with nowhere to escape. These differing perspectives reflect the complexities within Hamas itself.
Sinwar’s rise began in 1989 when he was sentenced to four life terms for orchestrating the abduction and killing of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians he deemed collaborators. Even in prison, he reportedly tortured and executed Palestinians accused of collaboration. In 2011, he was released along with 1,025 other Palestinian prisoners as part of a prisoner exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and quickly ascended to become the head of Hamas’s military strategies. Known for strengthening ties with Iran, Sinwar opposed the Oslo Accords and advocated for the elimination of Israelis from Palestine.
By 2017, he was leading the Hamas government in Gaza, a role he maintained until his death. His leadership was marked by the horrific October 7th, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 250 hostages, including children and the elderly. This attack ignited the current Israel-Hamas war and exacerbated tensions throughout the Middle East. Sinwar became the political leader of Hamas following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in July 2024.
Elimination
In a public broadcast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Sinwar’s elimination and extended a message to the residents of Gaza, stating, “Sinwar ruined your life. He told you he was a lion, but in reality, he was hiding in a dark den and was killed when he fled in a panic from our soldiers.
His elimination is an important milestone in the decline of Hamas’s evil rule. Hamas will no longer rule Gaza; this is the beginning of the day after Hamas, and this is an opportunity for you, the residents of Gaza, to finally break free from its tyranny. For the region, the darkness recedes and the light rises. We have a great opportunity to stop the axis of evil and create a different future—a future of peace and prosperity for the entire region. Together, we can reverse the curse and promote the blessing.”
Israel views this as a step closer to ending the war, promising to secure the release of hostages and finish off Hamas. They assert that hostages must be released and weapons put down for the conflict to end and the region to stabilize. However, Israel also warns that if the war continues, they will fight until its conclusion. This is not only a military victory for the IDF but also a strategic advantage, now that Hamas is without a leader.
Many Palestinian commentators express a different view, arguing that Sinwar’s death will only fuel anger among Palestinians in Gaza and their allies, intensifying the conflict. Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy chairperson of Hamas’s political bureau, confirmed their leader’s death and hailed him as a national figure and commander of resistance against the Israeli occupation, emphasizing his courage and commitment to the struggle.
Brewing conflict
As for the region, I am reminded of the 180 Iranian missiles launched into Israel on October 1, 2024, which were described as a response to the suspected Israeli attack that killed Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran on July 31, 2024, as well as the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon. Will we see Hamas’s allies in the region heed the advice of the Israeli prime minister and pave the way for peace, or will they become part of the brewing conflict stemming from Yahya Sinwar’s death?
In the weeks following the death of Yahya Sinwar, the situation in the Middle East has de-escalated significantly. This suggests that Israel’s strategy to eliminate the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah is proving effective. Notably, no successor to Sinwar has emerged, despite expectations that his brother Mohammad Sinwar would step into the role.
Meanwhile, the new Secretary General of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, has received a stark warning from the Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on X: the countdown has begun, and unless he alters his organization’s stance, he could be targeted. With Israel maintaining the upper hand, and Donald Trump’s presidential win in the USA after having promised to end the war before his inauguration if elected president, the prospect of peace in the region appears closer.
[Image: Yahya Sinwar greeting Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yahya_Sinwar_greeting_Iranian_Supreme_Leader_Ali_Khamenei.jpg]
The views of the writer are not necessarily the views of the Daily Friend or the IRR.
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