Head of Hamas in Gaza, Khalil Hayya said that Sinwar met his end standing brave, with his head held high, holding his firearm, and firing until the last breath.
Top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar — believed to be the mastermind behind the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that led to the killing of at least 1200 people and set off an ongoing war in Gaza — has been killed in a recent combat in Gaza with the Israeli military, the Palestinian group confirmed on Oct 18 adding “he died defending Palestine until the last moments of his life”.
Head of Hamas in Gaza, Khalil Hayya while paying tributes to Sinwar in a televised address described him as “steadfast, brave and intrepid”, saying he “sacrificed his life to the cause of our liberation.”
“He met his end standing brave, with his head held high, holding his firearm, firing until the last breath, until the last moment of his life,” said Hayya.
“Sinwar has lived his whole life as a holy fighter. Since his early days, he was engaged in his struggle as a resistant fighter. He stood defiant behind Israeli bars and after his release in a swap deal, he continued with his struggle and his dedication to the cause.” he added.
Hayya said captives held in Gaza will not return until Israel stops its attacks on Gaza, withdraws its forces from the besieged enclave, and releases prisoners.
“Sinwar’s martyrdom and the leaders who preceded him will only increase the strength and resilience of our movement,” he said.
“Hamas will continue until the establishment of the Palestinian state on all Palestinian soil with Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement on Oct 18 said Sinwar’s death marked “the beginning of the day after Hamas.” He vowed that Israel would continue fighting Hamas in Gaza until all hostages return home.
“The war could end immediately if Hamas returns hostages and ceases its armed actions. The Iranian regime’s influence in the region is waning with the recent elimination of other key figures in Iran-backed Hezbollah,” said Netanyahu.
Meanwhile, the armed wing of Hamas — Qassam Brigades — in a separate statement on Oct 18 said Sinaw “ascended facing the enemy, not retreating.”
“It is a source of pride for our movement to put leaders before soldiers, and for its leaders to lead the caravan of martyrs of our people,” Brigades added. Iran-backed Hezbollah in a statement on Oct 18 offered its “deepest condolences” over Sinwar’s killing. It pledged to continue its “support for our Palestinian people.”
Condemning the killing of Sinwar, Iran’s foreign minister hailed his “selfless struggle for the liberation of Palestinians”. Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Oct 18 in a statement said the leader of Hamas “bravely fought to the very end on the battlefield.”
“Yahya Sinwar did not fear death but sought martyrdom in Gaza,” Araghchi wrote on X.
He said Sinwar’s fate was a “source of inspiration for resistance fighters across the region, Palestinian and non-Palestinian.” adding, “We, and countless others around the world, salute his selfless struggle for the liberation of the Palestinian people.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a statement offered condolences over the killing of Sinwar and condemned Israel for his death.
“The news of the assassination and martyrdom of the steadfast fighter, Yahya Sinwar, Head of the Hamas Political Bureau, is both painful and heartbreaking for freedom lovers around the world, especially the brave people of Palestine,” Pezeshkian said, adding, “However, it also clearly highlights the ongoing atrocities of the occupying and child-killing Zionist regime.”
Sinwar fought “heroically” in the final moments before his death, said Pezeshkian.
“The struggle against aggression and the fight to restore freedom and liberation to the rightful owners of the occupied lands is a great movement and a noble cause,” he said.
“It will not be stopped by the assassination or elimination of heroes in this battle,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that it is calling up an additional reserve brigade for operational missions in northern Israel.
In a post on X on Oct 18, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) said, “By the assessment of the situation, it was decided to recruit an additional reserve brigade for the operational tasks in the northern sector.”
“Its mobilization will allow the continuation of the fighting effort against the terrorist organization Hezbollah and the achievement of the goals of the war, including the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” it added.
United States President Joe Biden called Netanyahu and praised the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for carrying out “excellent work,” according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office. Biden said the killing of the militant leader, was a “good day of Israel, for the US and for the world,” according to a White House statement.
Biden likened the situation to the US response after Osama Bin Laden’s death in 2011, suggesting a sense of relief for Israelis.
Siwar (62) was one of the few surviving militant leaders of Hamas. Jailed by Israel since 1998, Sinwar was released in a prisoner swap in 2011. He had been in favor of armed confrontation with the Jewish state over diplomatic initiatives. He joined Hamas in the late 1980s, and was instrumental in strengthening its military wing — Al-Qassam Brigades.
He was born in 1962 in a Gaza refugee camp and led the group's security wing, focusing on eliminating informants for Israel.
Notably, over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military operation in recent years and nearly all of the Gaza Strip’s 2.2 million residents are displaced amid a spiraling humanitarian crisis.
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