Celebrations in the streets of Sterot, a southern Israeli town
bordering Gaza, after their government confirmed the death of Hamas
leader Yaya Sinwa.
The Israeli military released drone footage of Sinwa's body found
in a house in southern Gaza after a ground operation
targeting other Hamas militants.
Sinwa had topped Israel's most wanted list, seen as the
mastermind of the October 7th attacks that triggered the Israel
Hamas war that has raged on for over a year,
claiming the lives of more than 41,000 people in Gaza.
His death is a crippling blow to Hamas, with its
leadership ranks and fighting forces greatly reduced.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to the people in
Gaza, saying this could be the end of the war
if Hamas surrenders and all the hostages they took last
October are returned.
This war can end tomorrow.
It can end if Hamas lays down its arms and
returns our hostages.
Hamas is holding 101 hostages in Gaza who are citizens
of 23 countries.
And until Israel gets the outcome it wants, its troops
have been ordered to continue its operations in Gaza.
International leaders of Cod Sinwa's death a turning point in
the conflict.
U.S.
President Joe Biden saying it was a good day for
the world and emphasized the importance of ending the war.
Now is the time to move on.
Move on to move toward a ceasefire Dodger for the
whole world.
It's time for the Ford end and dangerous hostage home.
A call echoed by the families of Israeli hostages.
It is critical that all attention is focused now on
achieving the goal of the deal which will secure the
release of our son Omar and the rest of the
hostages.
It's unclear if Hamas will lay down arms and seek
a deal with Israel.
The group is yet to comment on their leader's death.
But security analysts believe with Sinwa a staunch opposer to
releasing the hostages removed from the negotiation table, a deal
could now be possible.
Many are hopeful that with Sinwar out of the way,
new leadership is going to want to find a way
to end this conflict.
And that means releasing the hostages potentially in exchange for
an end to the war.
So it will depend on on who who rises in
place of Sinwar.
And then, of course, on the Israeli side, this isn't
a short bet either.
Many world leaders have called for A2 state solution with
a reformed Palestinian Authority to create lasting peace in the
Middle East, an idea Israel does not support.
But with pressure to end the war increasing on Israel
from both within and outside the country, Sinwa's death has
brought the region the closest it's been to a ceasefire
in a year.
James Lynn and Rosie Granger for Taiwan Plus.