Hostages won’t be freed till Gaza ‘aggression’ ends, Hamas says as it confirms Yahya Sinwar’s death- The Week

Hamas on Friday confirmed the death of its chief Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attack. While describing his death, Hamas said that he died in combat.

Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said that Sinwar’s death will only strengthen the group. He also added that the hostages will not be freed till the Gaza “aggression” ends.

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“Those prisoners will not return to you before the end of the aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal from Gaza,” said al-Hayya.

While reacting to Sinwar’s death, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said Sinwar’s death that “martyrs live forever, and the cause for liberation of Palestine from occupation is more alive than ever.”

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However, the United States President, Joe Biden urged the Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu to “move on” and make progress towards a ceasefire in Gaza. With the death of Sinwar, several western leaders have expressed concerns regarding a ceasefire deal moving forward.

Biden said that the killing of the Hamas chief raises “the prospect of a ceasefire” and “represents a moment of justice”.

Sinwar had the blood of Americans, Israelis, Palestinians, Germans and so many others on his hands, Biden added.

“I told the prime minister of Israel yesterday, let’s also make this moment an opportunity to seek a path to peace, a better future in Gaza without Hamas,” he said.

Regarding the ceasefire talks, Qatar’s prime minister said there had been no conversations or engagement with any parties for the last three to four weeks to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Qatar, the US and Egypt had been working as mediators between Israel-Hamas to gain a ceasefire and release of hostages.

Hamas vows to continue fight

Amid its chief’s death, the Hamas armed wing vowed to keep fighting Israel until the “liberation of Palestine”. “Our fight will not stop until Palestine is liberated, the last Zionist is expelled, and all our legitimate rights are regained,” the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement.

Sinwar, the key figure behind the October 7 attack on Israel—which killed around 1,200 people in Israel, was killed on Wednesday in a gunfight with Israeli forces after a year-long manhunt. His death was announced on Thursday.

While Israeli media, described him as dying “like a Gaza dog”, several Gazans described his death as “a hero”.

A video of Sinwar, wearing a mask and trying to fight an Israeli drone, had gone viral inspiring pride among Palestinians. “He was not hiding in the tunnels, he was fighting the Israeli soldiers all along,” said a man in Gaza.

“The best gift the enemy and the occupation can offer me is to assassinate me and that I go as a martyr at their hands,” Sinwar’s speech was quoted by many Gazans.