Netanyahu says 'evil has suffered heavy blow' after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's death

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday (October 17) declared the killing of Yahya Sinwar, a key Hamas leader, as a significant blow to the militant group, marking what he called “an important landmark in the decline of the evil rule of Hamas.”

“Today, evil has suffered a heavy blow,” Netanyahu said in a video address. “Sinwar’s elimination represents a crucial moment in our fight against Hamas.”

The Israeli military confirmed Sinwar’s death following a firefight in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Wednesday (October 16).

According to Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet security agency, Sinwar, widely seen as the architect of Hamas’s deadly October 7 attack on Israel, was killed alongside two other fighters.

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According to a report by Times of Israel, Sinwar was not being directly targeted. Troops only realised that one of the three dead terrorists was apparently the Hamas top boss when they inspected the scene of the firefight on Thursday morning.

Sinwar’s body was identified through DNA analysis, and part of his finger was removed for expedited testing in a location laced with booby traps.

While Hamas has yet to make an official statement, sources in Gaza indicated the group believed Sinwar had been killed.

Netanyahu, while marking the milestone, said that Israel’s campaign against Hamas is ongoing. “The war… is not over yet,” he said. In a direct appeal to Gaza’s militants, he added, “Whoever lays down his weapon and returns our hostages – we will allow him to go on living.”

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Reuters quoted Hamas sources as saying that indications from Gaza suggested the terror group’s leader had been killed. However, the group has not yet publicly spoken about their leader’s death.

While there is hope for a ceasefire and return of Israeli hostages now, it is difficult to say how players involved in the volatile West Asia region will react to this development.

With inputs from agencies