Israel confirms death of Yahya Sinwar; Joe Biden calls it a ‘good day’

The statement was made in response to an Israeli proposal that Sinwar offer a safe exit from Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages, Al-Aqsa TV reported.

“Today evil has been dealt a heavy blow, but the task ahead is not yet completed,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his first response after the assassination of the Hamas chief.

The IDF has detailed that so far dozens of terrorists have been eliminated through precise strikes by Israeli Air Force aircraft and face-to-face combat, and many weapons and buildings that the enemy has fortified for terrorist activities have been destroyed.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden called Sinwar’s killing a “good day” for Israel, for the United States and for the world, calling it an “opportunity” for a political settlement between Israel and Palestine.

“This is a good day for Israel, for the United States and for the world,” Biden said. “For my Israeli friends, this is undoubtedly a day of relief and memories, similar to the scenes seen in the United States after President Obama ordered the raid to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2011.”

Calling for an end to hostilities, Biden added: “There is now the opportunity for a ‘day after’ in Gaza without Hamas in power, and for a political settlement that offers a better future for both Israelis and Palestinians. Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all these goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But there is still a lot of work ahead of us.”

The Hamas leader is believed to have masterminded the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, which killed more than 1,200 people, including 46 Americans, on that day. More than 250 were taken hostage, of which 101 were still missing.

He was killed by the Israeli army in Gaza.

“As leader of the terrorist group Hamas, Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Israelis, Palestinians, Americans and citizens from more than 30 countries,” Biden said.

Biden further elaborated on the defense and security assistance his administration provided to the Israelis in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacres.

“I have directed Special Operations personnel and our intelligence professionals to work side by side with their Israeli counterparts to help locate and track Sinwar and other Hamas leaders hiding in Gaza. With our intelligence assistance, the IDF relentlessly pursued Hamas leaders, driving them from their hiding places and forcing them to flee. “There has rarely been a military campaign like this, with Hamas leaders living and moving through hundreds of kilometers of tunnels, organized in multiple underground levels, determined to protect themselves without concern for the civilians suffering above ground,” he said.