Israel has made a firm commitment to eliminate Yahya Sinwar, the newly appointed leader of Hamas, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the devastating October 7 attack. This declaration comes as regional tensions simmer, threatening to boil over as the Gaza war enters its eleventh month. The appointment of Sinwar, who has been Hamas’s leader in Gaza since 2017, has fueled concerns about a potential escalation of the conflict. He is widely perceived as being more resistant to ceasefire negotiations and closer to Iran than his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran last week.
A senior Hamas official emphasized that Sinwar’s selection signifies the organization’s unwavering commitment to its path of resistance. Analysts believe that Sinwar’s leadership could further complicate peace efforts, suggesting that a ceasefire agreement is even less likely than before. The United States has urged Sinwar to play a role in achieving a ceasefire, stating that he has been and remains the key decision-maker.
The appointment of Sinwar has been met with unease among civilians in both Israel and Gaza. In Gaza, displaced residents express concern about the potential for further violence and the prospects for negotiations under his leadership. In Tel Aviv, Israelis express apprehension, believing that Sinwar’s appointment signals a lack of willingness within Hamas to pursue a less militant approach.
Hamas’s ally, Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, has vowed to avenge the deaths of Haniyeh and its own military commander, Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has declared that his group will retaliate, either independently or in collaboration with other Iran-backed groups in the region.
In response to the escalating tensions, the United States has dispatched additional warships and jets to the region, urging both Iran and Israel to avoid further escalation. President Joe Biden has spoken with regional leaders, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken has directly communicated the need for restraint to both Israel and Iran.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called on both Israel and Iran to avoid a cycle of reprisals. He has conveyed the same message to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian. Pezeshkian has stated that the West should cease arms sales and support for Israel to prevent a full-blown war.
Israel has not commented on the killing of Haniyeh in Iran but has confirmed its responsibility for the strike on Shukr in Beirut. Hezbollah has engaged in near-daily cross-border fire with Israeli troops throughout the Gaza war. On Wednesday, an Israeli strike near the Lebanon-Israel border resulted in the deaths of a Hezbollah fighter and a civilian. The Israeli military claimed to have eliminated a Hamas commander in the same area.
The ongoing conflict has disrupted air travel in the region. Numerous airlines have suspended or limited flights to Lebanon due to security concerns. Egypt has issued warnings to civilian airlines to avoid its airspace during overnight hours due to planned military exercises. The United Nations has temporarily reduced the presence of UN staff family members in Lebanon but has not evacuated its staff.
The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which began with Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, has drawn in Iran-backed militants in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, primarily civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli official figures. Palestinian militants captured 251 hostages, with 111 still held in Gaza, including 39 that the Israeli military believes are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has led to the deaths of at least 39,677 people, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. Israel’s army reported that a strike in Gaza last month killed Nael Sakhl, a senior Hamas member involved in directing terrorist activities in the occupied West Bank.
The war has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with nearly all of its 2.4 million residents displaced and suffering from food shortages. Israel’s Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, sparked widespread condemnation from allies for suggesting that starving the besieged territory could be justified. The EU, France, and the UK have condemned his remarks as a violation of international law and basic human principles.
