Joe Biden Calls Yahya Sinwar's Death 'Good Day' For Israel, US, World

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden stated that the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar marks a moment of relief for Israelis and presents a chance for a "day after" in Gaza without the militant group in control.

"Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains before us," Biden said in his statement.

Photo Credit: PTI

"I will soon be speaking with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to congratulate them, discuss the path forward for bringing the hostages home to their families, and to end this war, which has caused so much devastation to innocent people," Biden added.

Families of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas fear that their loved ones are now in greater danger following the killing of Sinwar by Israeli forces, reported Reuters.

The Israeli military and the Shin Bet security service confirmed on Thursday that Sinwar, the mastermind of last October's devastating attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, was killed during an operation in southern Gaza.

"We have settled the score with the chief murderer Sinwar. But now, more than ever, the lives of Matan, my son, and the other hostages are in real danger," said Einav Zangauker, whose 24-year-old son was abducted from their kibbutz home during the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.

"There will not be true closure, no complete victory, if we do not save their lives and bring them all back," Zangauker stated in a video after the news of Sinwar's death was announced.

So far, 117 hostages have been returned alive, including four released at the beginning of the Gaza war, 105 mostly women, children, and foreigners released in November during a temporary truce with Hamas, and eight rescued by the military.

37 hostages have been brought back dead. According to Israeli reports, 101 hostages are still in Gaza, with authorities believing that at least half remain alive.

Orna and Ronen Neutra, the parents of Israeli-American hostage Omer, emphasised that all efforts must focus on bringing those held by Hamas home. They urged both the Israeli and US governments to "act swiftly and do whatever is needed to reach a deal with the captors."

"Sinwar, who was seen as a major obstacle to a deal, is no longer alive," they stated. "We are at a turning point where the goals of the war with Gaza have been mostly achieved, except for the release of the hostages."

Israel's military response has led to the deaths of more than 42,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, and has reduced much of the enclave to rubble, displacing most of its population. Despite this, Sinwar had evaded capture, possibly hiding in the extensive tunnel network Hamas built under Gaza over the past two decades.

In Tel Aviv's so-called Hostages Square, where protests against the government have been held by families and supporters frustrated by the limited progress in recovering the hostages, there was uncertainty about what comes next.

"I feel somewhat numb ... I have a deep concern for the hostages, and it's difficult to find hope," said Anat Ron Kandle, a Tel Aviv resident who survived the October 7 Hamas attacks.

"The man responsible for the massacre is dead ... I'm not sure what this means for our hostages and their safety or how many of them are still alive. I'm deeply, deeply worried."