Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is dead. Hereโs a look at global reaction
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, believed by Israel to be chief mastermind of the October 7, 2023, terror attack that set off the current war in Gaza,ย was killed by Israeli forces.
Many global leaders in the West expressed hope that his death signals the beginning of the end of the war in Gaza and could provide an opportunity for the release of the more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas.
More than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israelโs military operation in Gaza began and nearly all of the stripโs 2.2 million residents are displaced amid a spiraling humanitarian crisis.
Hereโs a look at international reaction:
- US President Joe Bidenย calledย Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuย praised the Israel Defense Forces for carrying out โexcellent work,โ according to a statement from the Israeli prime ministerโs office. Biden saidย the killing of the militant leader,was a โgood day of Israel, for the United States and for the world,โ according to a White Houseย statement.
- British Prime Ministerย Keir Starmer called Sinwar โthe mastermind behind the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaustโ and said the UK โwill not mourn his death.โ He added: โToday my thoughts are with the families of those victims.โ
- French Prime Ministerย Emannuel Macronย saidย โYahya Sinwar was the main person responsible for the terrorist attacks and barbaric acts of October 7th. Today, I think with emotion of the victims, including 48 of our compatriots, and their loved ones. France demands the release of all hostages still held by Hamas.โ
- Canadian Prime Ministerย Justin Trudeau said โSinwarโs death ends a reign of terror.โ He added Hamas โmust lay down its arms, release the hostages, and play no future role in the governance of Gaza,โ and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire to end the suffering in Gaza.
- German Foreign Ministerย Annalena Baerbockย saidย โSinwar was a brutal murderer and terrorist, who wanted to destroy Israel and its people.โย She added Hamas must immediately release all hostages and lay down its weapons, saying โthe suffering of the people in Gaza must finally end.โ
- Italian Prime Ministerย Giorgia Meloniย saidย โI am convinced that a new phase must now begin: it is time for all hostages to be released, for an immediate ceasefire to be declared and for reconstruction to begin in Gaza.โ
- President of the European Commissionย Ursula von der Leyen said โSinwar was the leader of a terrorist organization, the terrorist organization of Hamas. And he was basically the mastermind behind the 7th of October with the killings, the massacres, the rapes and the kidnapping. So his death is certainly significantly weakening Hamas.โ
- European Union foreign affairs chiefย Josep Borrellย saidย โ[Sinwar] was an obstacle to an urgently needed ceasefire &the unconditional release of all hostages.โ He added, โThere must be an end to violence, liberation of hostages & stop to the suffering of Palestinians.โ
