Blinken urges Israel to capitalize on killing of Hamas leader to end Gaza war

In a statement issued by his office, Netanyahu said that the removal of Sinwar “may have a positive effect on the return of the hostages, the achievement of all the objectives of the war and the aftermath of the war.”

But there was no mention of a possible ceasefire after a year of war in which Hamas’ military capabilities have been badly degraded and Gaza has been largely reduced to rubble, with most of its 2.3 million of displaced Palestinians.

Israel’s Western allies see Sinwar’s killing last week as a possible breakthrough in providing political cover for Netanyahu’s far-right government to claim that its goals in Gaza have been achieved.

But Israel has maintained that it will not stop fighting until the Palestinian militant group has been completely destroyed as a military force and governing entity in Gaza.

Hamas has refused to release dozens of hostages in Gaza captured in its incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023 without an Israeli promise to end the war and withdraw from the territory.