Killing of Yahya Sinwar an 'inflection point' to ending Gaza war, White House says

Hamas leader was chief obstacle to reaching ceasefire agreement that would end war in Gaza, US National Security Council spokesman says

The US, together with Qatar and Egypt, have for months been working on bringing about a ceasefire to end the Israel-Gaza war. Getty Images

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The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has removed the main obstacle to securing a ceasefire in Gaza, the White House said on Friday, and creates an “inflection point” for ending the war.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Hamas has been significantly weakened and is now unable to perpetrate another attack on Israel like the one on October 7 of last year, which killed 1,200 people, saw hundreds of hostages taken and ignited the war.

“But that doesn't mean that they aren't still lethal to some degree, and so we're going to have to watch that carefully,” Mr Kirby told reporters.

The US, together with Qatar and Egypt, have for months been working on mediating a ceasefire to end the war that began more than a year ago.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar dead at 61

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But efforts have stalled, as Israel, under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has pressed on with the war.

Gershon Baskin, a leading peace negotiator for Israel who has several contacts in Hamas, stated there was no communication from the group over its next steps. He urged those holding the remaining 100 or so hostages to release them in exchange for money.

“Israel should immediately publish a message to anyone holding a hostage that they will receive safe passage abroad (there are countries that will take them in) and a serious sum of money in exchange for the release of hostages," he said. “Israel must act quickly and also inform Egypt and Qatar that they are ready to reach a deal to return all the hostages and end the war.”

Mr Baskin added that there may be an opportunity to reach a deal, “but it is very essential to act now”.

An Israeli security source told The National that the armed forces and large parts of society hoped Mr Sinwar’s death would “shut it all down” in terms of ending the war.

“Given that Sinwar was the significant barrier to reaching some kind of ceasefire deal, and the fact that he was known within Hamas for his own radicalism, there is hope now that we are marginally closer to a ceasefire and hostage release deal, but it's very far from confirmed.”

However, there was an issue that some in Hamas would like to fight on “to be martyred”. There was also the possibility of a deal involving Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, although that was “remote”, he admitted.

Israeli strikes have killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, and reduced much of the coastal enclave to rubble. The war has also spilt over across the region, and more than 2,000 people have been killed in Lebanon amid the Israeli invasion and strikes on the south and Beirut.

Following the announcement of Mr Sinwar's killing on Thursday, President Joe Biden said it was a “good day” for Israel, the US and the world, and created an “opportunity” for a Gaza without Hamas.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently in Germany, said in a joint statement with his German counterpart Anaalena Baerbock that "Sinwar stood in the way of a ceasefire in Gaza" and that "his death can create a momentum to end the conflict".

The Biden administration has blamed Hamas for the failure to reach a deal, which aimed for a six-week ceasefire during which hostages being held by Hamas would be released in exchange for Palestinian detainees held in Israeli jails.

But with Hamas's leadership structure upended with the death of Mr Sinwar, as well as the killing of Ismail Haniyeh this summer, it remains unclear who, if anyone could take the reins of the organisation. If and when ceasefire talks resume, it is unclear what the new dynamics would be. The fate of the hostages is also unclear.

“I could tell you today that we're getting the teams back together in Doha, and we're starting afresh,” Mr Kirby said. “That's not where we are right now. We're not in a position right now where serious negotiations are in the offing.”

Mr Netanyahu on Friday promised to press on with the war in Gaza as well as in Lebanon, and gave no indication that eliminating Mr Sinwar would be a reason to stop the fighting.