Yahya Sinwar killed: Biden says Hamas leader's death is 'good day' for Israel, US & the world; read statement

US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces marked a "good day for Israel, the United States, and the world."

Sunita Iyer

First Published Oct 18, 2024, 1:05 AM IST | Last Updated Oct 18, 2024, 1:05 AM IST

US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces marked a "good day for Israel, the United States, and the world." He described it as an "opportunity" to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and to bring an end to the ongoing war in Gaza, which has persisted for over a year.

Also read: Israel kills Yahya Sinwar: UNRWA employee ID, fake passport, Mentos & more found on Hamas leader's body | PICS

Biden's comments came moments after Israel confirmed that its forces in Gaza killed Sinwar. Israeli leaders hailed the killing of Sinwar as a long-awaited retribution, occurring just over a year after Hamas-led militants launched a shocking attack from Gaza into southern Israel. They framed this event as an opportunity for Hamas to surrender and to release the approximately 100 hostages it continues to hold captive.

In his statement, Biden drew parallels between Sinwar's death and the US operation that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks. He emphasized that the killing of the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel "proves once again that no terrorists anywhere in the world can escape justice, no matter how long it takes.”

Biden further stated that with Sinwar’s death “there is now the opportunity for a ‘day after’ in Gaza without Hamas in power, and for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

Biden commended US special operations forces and intelligence teams for their role in advising Israeli allies on tracking and locating Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, over the past year. While the U.S. confirmed that the operation resulting in Sinwar’s death was carried out by Israeli forces, their efforts were supported by US intelligence collaboration.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan described Sinwar as a “significant barrier” to peace. He noted that “his removal from the battlefield creates an opportunity to move forward, bringing the hostages back home.”

Sinwar had served as Hamas' top leader in the Gaza Strip for several years, closely tied to its military wing and significantly enhancing its capabilities. He rose to the highest position in Hamas in July after the death of his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli strike in Tehran.

In recent months, Israel has carried out airstrikes that have targeted and eliminated several senior figures from Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. While Israel claims to have killed Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’ military wing, in one of these strikes, the group maintains that he survived.

Also read: Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar ELIMINATED: Celebrations erupt across Israel, IDF soldiers dance with joy (WATCH)

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken choed his spokesperson Matthew Miller’s comments by saying that Washington will redouble efforts in the days ahead to end the conflict in Gaza after the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

In a statement, Blinken described Sinwar as a “vicious and unrepentant terrorist responsible for the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.”

“The world is a better place with him gone,” the US secretary added.

"We remember today the victims of Sinwar’s unspeakable crimes and hope that his death brings them some measure of justice. The United States stands with Israel in holding accountable those responsible for October 7 and ensuring such an attack can never be repeated," Blinken said.

The US vice-president and Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, stated she hoped that Israel’s announcement that it had killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar will bring “a sense and measure of relief” to the families of the victims of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

“Justice has been served,” Harris told reporters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday. "This moment gives us an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza."

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