In the battered October 7 towns of Sderot and Netivot, and in many places in the north, Israeli flags were waved, social media exploded with the news, and even the country’s beaches erupted in cheers as lifeguards relayed the message from Gaza The loudspeakers announced: “<a href="https://www.world-today-news.com/israel-is-like-being-created-from-speckled-human-blood-this-is-a-series-of-actions-by-mossad-agents-to-exterminate-enemies-in-the-most-heinous-and-deadly-way-all-pages/" title="Israel is like being created from speckled human blood, this is a series of actions by Mossad agents to exterminate enemies in the most heinous and deadly way – all pages”>Hamas top terrorist Yahya Sinwar is dead.”
Israeli politicians of all stripes were also happy about “Sinwar in hell.” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant posted on We will pursue and eliminate them.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday after Sinwar’s body was identified: “Today the mastermind of this day of absolute evil is no longer here. Yahya Sinwar is dead. He was killed in Rafah by the brave soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces. This is not the end of the war in Gaza, but it is the beginning of the end.
He continued that he had a simple message for the people of Gaza: “This war can end tomorrow. It can end if Hamas lays down its weapons and returns our hostages.” He also has a message of hope for the peoples of the region: “The terror axis built by Iran is collapsing before our eyes. Nasrallah is gone. His deputy Mohsen is gone. Haniyeh is gone. Deif is gone. Sinwar is gone.”
Netanyahu speaks of a future of prosperity and peace
The reign of terror that the Iranian regime has imposed on its own people and the peoples of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen – it too will come to an end, Israel’s prime minister promised. »All who seek a future of prosperity and peace in the Middle East should unite to build a better future. Together we can push back the forces of darkness and create a future of light and hope for us all.«
The former defense minister and chairman of the National Unity Center Alliance, Benny Gantz, also emphasized that the killing would not end the war: “The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is an important success, but it does not mean the end of the war.” The Israeli armed forces “will continue to operate in the Gaza Strip for years to come,” and Israel must use recent successes, including Sinwar’s death, “to achieve the return of the hostages and the overthrow of Hamas rule.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid Lapid wrote on X: “Yahya Sinwar was one of the worst terrorists in the world. He dedicated his life to an evil ideology of hate and death. His name stands alongside Bin Laden and al-Baghdadi for the terror and misery they brought to the world.” Lapid summed up: “Justice has been done.”
“Seek a comprehensive deal, offering financial rewards and safe passage to anyone who brings hostages to our forces.”
He then argued that Israel should use the opportunity to take a decisive step regarding the hostages. “Strive for a comprehensive deal and offer financial rewards and safe conduct to anyone who brings hostages to our armed forces.” Right now, one should not forget that there are still 101 hostages in Gaza, said Lapid. “This is the moment to double and triple the efforts to bring them home.”
After the end of Shabbat, Israeli jets dropped leaflets over the southern Gaza Strip that showed a picture of the dead Hamas chief along with the message that “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza.” The letters, written in Arabic, also said: “Whoever drops the weapon and hands over the hostages may leave and live in peace.” Pictures of the leaflets are circulating on the Internet.
Family forum “deeply concerned” about the fate of the hostages
The Forum for Families of Hostages and Missing Persons praised security forces for eliminating Sinwar, “who planned the worst massacre our country has ever seen and who was responsible for the murder of thousands and the kidnapping of hundreds.”
“However, we are deeply concerned about the fate of the 101 men, women, elderly and children who are still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza,” the forum continued. “We call on the Israeli government, world leaders and mediating countries to turn military success into diplomatic success by pursuing an immediate agreement to release all 101 hostages: the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for proper Burial.”
Meanwhile, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi wrote on social media that choosing a successor would not take long. “It’s a natural process.” He also stressed that “our terms of ceasefire negotiations will not change after Sinwar’s death. The idea remains.”
