Biden leads international effort for ceasefire in Gaza after killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar | Israel-Gaza war

Joe Biden has urged Israel's prime minister to “move on” and make progress toward a ceasefire in Gaza following the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader and mastermind of the Oct. 7 attack, as world leaders push again for an end to the conflict.

Hours after Thursday's killing in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, U.S. President Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated him and said Sinwar had “a lot of blood on his hands – American blood, Israeli blood and others.”

Arriving in Germany for a meeting with European leaders, Biden said he was “more hopeful” about the prospects for a ceasefire and would send U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel in the next four or five days.

Biden joined figures including his Vice President Kamala Harris, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in pushing for progress toward a ceasefire.

Blinken held separate telephone conversations on Thursday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani about ending the conflict in the Middle East, the US State Department said.

The move came as Iran's mission to the United Nations said the killing would strengthen the “spirit of resistance” and inspire future generations as Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed group in Lebanon, “transitions to a new and escalating phase the confrontation with “Israel announced”.

At the time of writing, Hamas had not yet commented on the death of its leader.

In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called Sinwar's death “the beginning of the end” but added that Israel must “stand firmly on our soil” and “keep fighting.”

“We showed today that the same thing happens to all those who try to harm us,” Netanyahu said. “And how the forces of good can always defeat the forces of evil and darkness. The war is still ongoing and it is costly.”

It was not yet clear what impact Sinwar's killing would have on Israel's campaign in Gaza. Most analysts said Israel remains committed to military occupation of Palestinian territory for the foreseeable future.

Ahead of his visit to Germany, Biden said: “There is now the possibility of a day after in Gaza without Hamas in power and for a political solution that offers a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.” Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of these goals. This obstacle no longer exists. But there is still a lot of work ahead of us.”

Blinken previously called Sinwar a “vicious and unrepentant terrorist” and said he had repeatedly torpedoed agreements that would have ended the conflict. “Sinwar has repeatedly rejected efforts in recent months by the United States and its partners to end this war through an agreement that would return the hostages to their families and ease the suffering of the Palestinian people,” Blinken said.

As news of Sinwar's death and gruesome images of his body spread across Gaza, many wondered what the future would hold.

“The killing of Yahya Sinwar is a tragedy for the people of Gaza, we did not expect it,” said Amal al-Hanawi, 28, from Nuseirat in central Gaza, where she sought refuge after fleeing fighting in the north. “I have the impression that Hamas is finished, that there is no longer any strong resistance, it has fallen apart,” she told AFP, saying that this is “exactly what Netanyahu wants.”

“We are exhausted, the war has gone too far, it has taken everything from us,” said Shadi Nofal Abou Maher, 23, saying he hoped “the world will intervene” to end the war.

In Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, a displaced Palestinian named Thabet Amour told Reuters the Palestinian struggle would continue. “This is resistance that doesn’t disappear when men disappear,” he said. “The assassination of Sinwar will not lead to the end of the resistance or to a compromise or a surrender and the raising of the white flag.”

On the streets and on social media, some welcomed the “resistance” led by Sinwar and praised him for fighting to the end. “He will be remembered as a leader who died on the battlefield,” said 36-year-old Ahmed Omar.

Families of Israeli hostages said that while the killing of Sinwar was a significant achievement, it would not be complete as long as the hostages remained in Gaza.

Avi Marciano, the father of Noa Marciano, who was killed in Hamas captivity, told Israeli broadcaster KAN that “the monster that took her away from me and had the blood of all our daughters on his hands has finally reached the gates “hell”.

“A little justice, but no consolation,” he said. “There will only be consolation when Naama, Liri, Agam, Daniela and Karina, our girls’ friends, return home.”

Some Israelis welcomed the news of Sinwar's death as a sign of better things to come.
“I celebrate the death of Sinwar, who did nothing but harm to us, who took people hostage,” said an Israeli woman, Shirta, who gave only her first name.
Sisil, 60, who also gave only her first name, took part in a rally in Tel Aviv demanding the release of the hostages. She said his killing was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for “a hostage trade to end the war.”

The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and took 250 people hostage. At least 42,438 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israeli retaliation, according to Health Ministry data in Hamas-controlled territory that the United Nations considers reliable.

With Agence France-Presse and Reuters