Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed; Israel vows retaliation
The leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, was killed in combat, as declared by Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and chief negotiator representing the organization during peace talks, on Friday. The Israeli army killed Sinwar on Thursday. The Israeli Foreign Minister labeled him a "mass murderer" responsible for the massacre and crimes on October 7, 2023.
Those prisoners will not return to you before the end of the aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal from Gaza, stated al-Hayya.
Hamas "cannot be destroyed"
Earlier, Basem Naim, a member of the political bureau of Hamas, said, "It seems that Israel believes that killing our leaders means the end of our movement and the struggle of the Palestinian people."
He added, "Yes, it’s very painful and distressing to lose beloved people, especially extraordinary leaders like ours, but what we are sure of is that we are eventually victorious; this is the outcome for all people who fought for their liberty."
He also listed several leaders of the organization who have been killed in the past, highlighting that after each death, Hamas has become ""stronger and more popular, and these leaders became an icon for future generations to continue the journey towards a free Palestine."
Architect of attacks on Israel killed
The Israeli army announced on Thursday that the leader of Hamas was killed on Wednesday in the southern Gaza Strip. Sinwar took on the role of head of the Hamas political bureau on August 6 of this year. His predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed on July 31 in Tehran in an attack attributed to Israel.
Unlike Haniyeh, who lived in exile in Qatar, Sinwar resided in the Gaza Strip for many years, where he led the organization's operations. The Islamist Hamas has independently governed the Gaza Strip since 2007.
Sinwar is regarded as one of the main architects of the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people. It was the largest terrorist attack in the history of the country.
In response to the attack, Israel launched a war against Hamas that continues to this day. According to local authorities, over 42,000 residents of the Gaza Strip have been killed.
