Sinwar's removal from the battlefield is “significant,” the State Department says

The State Department said Thursday the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli troops presented an “opportunity” for a possible ceasefire and an end to the years-long war.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said until Sinwar's death: “There was no way to end this war because Sinwar refused to discuss releasing the hostages.”

Yahya Sinwar chairs a meeting with leaders of Palestinian factions at his office in Gaza City on April 13, 2022. (AP)

“We now see an opportunity in the fact that he has been removed from the battlefield and from the leadership of Hamas. We wanted to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Miller.

Sinwar was a key architect of the October 7, 2023 massacre in which Hamas militants stormed Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 others. The attack sent the country into turmoil. As of October 2024, Hamas militants are still holding around 100 hostages.

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IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi speaks to troops at the site where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed. (Israeli Defense Forces)

Israeli forces hailed Sinwar's death as a major victory, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that his country would continue fighting until all hostages were free. He said Israeli forces would control Gaza long enough to ensure Hamas does not rearm.

Biden and US lawmakers praise Israel's death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar: 'The world is a safer place'

A view of a poster in the Iranian capital Tehran featuring Hamas political chief Yahya Sinwar, August 13, 2024 (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)

It is unclear who will succeed Sinwar. While his death is a major blow to Hamas, the group has proven resilient to the losses of its leaders in the past.

“One thing we know for sure is that the world is a better place without Sinwar, and it gives us an opportunity we didn't have while he was still in charge for Hamas,” Miller said. “We’ll have to wait and see what that means in the coming days.”

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In 12 months of fighting, Israeli forces have killed more than 42,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of the Gaza Strip. The figures come from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says half of those killed were women and children.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.