Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was recently killed in an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) operation. A week after this major operation, it emerged that Sinwar had earlier had the opportunity to leave Gaza and Egypt to negotiate a hostage deal on behalf of Hamas. In response to the offer, Sinwar told Arab mediators, “I’m not under siege, I’m on Palestinian land,” according to the Wall Street Journal. Sinwar issued this statement after the massacre on October 7, 2023, which he personally carried out.
Sinwar realized he was going to be killed.
As the war progressed, Sinwar reportedly realized that his death was a possibility. He told mediators that Hamas should elect a leadership council that would take over control of the group after him. According to reports, Sinwar repeatedly told Hamas negotiators in Qatar not to agree to the ceasefire agreement. He believes the increase in killings of civilians in Gaza will increase international pressure on Israel, and he believes the conflict could turn the entire region against Israel.
He had to fight on the ground as Israeli forces closed in on Sinwar and destroyed the Gaza tunnel where he was hiding. Therefore, the likelihood of his death increases. Sinwar prepared for his possible death, warning Hamas that Israel would make some concessions after his death, but that Hamas should not give in.
There was also an earlier attempt to kill Mohammed Deif
The report also said there were attempts to assassinate Sinwar and his military chief, Mohammed Deif, during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s first government, but officials believed they were afraid. Netanyahu’s successor, Naftali Bennett, has proposed killing Sinwar at least twice, but the plan was thwarted by the government’s collapse.
Sinwar is biggest hurdle in mortgage deal
Sinwar, considered the biggest obstacle to the hostage deal, was killed last Wednesday in a gunbattle with Israeli forces in the southern Gaza community of Rafah. Israel says Mohammed Deif was killed in July. Sinwar’s death has now raised hopes that long-stalled talks can resume to free the 101 people held hostage by Hamas. Egyptian officials hope to take this opportunity to achieve a ceasefire and change Israel’s “hardline stance” on Gaza.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to visit Egypt
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel on Tuesday and then visit Egypt. The talks will be held in the Egyptian capital Cairo and will focus on the management of Gaza and the deployment of international forces on the Egypt-Gaza border. Israel says it needs to maintain some control over Gaza to stop weapons smuggling. Israeli officials are looking for opportunities to end the war through a hostage deal, as relatives of several hostages have requested from Netanyahu.
It remains to be seen where the long-stalled negotiations between Hamas and Israel will go in the wake of Sinwar’s death and whether a deal can be reached to end the war.
