Israel Confirms Killing of Hamas Top Leader Sinwar, War Poised to Escalate

A day after the chief architect of Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli military, Hamas on Friday vowed to keep fighting until the “liberation of Palestine”. For Israeli forces, Sinwar was the most wanted after the October 7 attack upon Israel that sparked Hamas-Israel war.

“Our fight will not stop until Palestine is liberated, the last Zionist is expelled, and all our legitimate rights are regained,” news organisations reported quoting the Hamas armed group’s statement.

The Hamas leader had been killed by Israeli forces in a gun battle on Wednesday, though initially the Israeli forces reportedly remained unaware that they had eliminated their top enemy, according to news reports. A day later on Thursday, Israel had confirmed the killing of Yahya Sinwar.

There is no let off by Israel in its attack upon Gaza though it managed to eliminate most top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah. Hamas, however, has said the killing of Sinwar has made the war enter another phase.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called his killing a milestone but vowed to keep up the war, according to a report by news agency Reuters. "The war, my dear ones, is not yet over," Netanyahu told Israelis late on Thursday.