DUBAI/BEIRUT: Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz claimed on Thursday that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed.
“Mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who was responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers,” Katz said in a statement.
Earlier, the Israeli military had said that it was investigating the possibility that it had killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
“At this stage, his identity cannot be confirmed,” said the military.
Israel has killed several commanders of Hamas in Gaza as well as senior figures of Hezbollah in Lebanon, including its veteran leader Hassan Nasrallah, dealing heavy blows to its arch-foes.
Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader committed to eradicating Israel
Hamas has not commented on the fate of Sinwar, who was recently elevated to paramount leader of Hamas.
If his death is confirmed it will dial up tensions in the Middle East where fears of a wider Middle East conflict have grown as Israel plans its response to the October 1 missile attack carried out by Iran after Israeli airstrikes on Hamas.
The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned Israel earlier on Thursday against attacking the Islamic Republic.
“We tell you (Israel) that if you commit any aggression against any point we will painfully attack the same point of yours,” Hossein Salami said in a televised speech, adding that Iran can penetrate Israel’s defences.
There has been speculation that Israel could strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, as it has long threatened to do and other options include attacks on its vital oil sites.
Israel kills at least 50 in Gaza, forces encircle northern Jabalia
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, on a Middle East tour, met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, with Sisi reiterating Egypt’s call to avoid an expansion of the conflict, the Egyptian presidency said.
Biden says will speak soon with Netanyahu
Amid Sinwar’s death reports, US President Joe Biden said the development marked a “moment of relief” for Israelis while providing the opportunity for a “day after” in Gaza without Hamas in power.
“Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains before us,” Biden said in a statement.
Israel will listen to US but make own decisions, Netanyahu’s office says
“I will be speaking soon with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to congratulate them, to discuss the pathway for bringing the hostages home to their families, and for ending this war once and for all, which has caused so much devastation to innocent people.,” Biden said.
Harris says chance to ‘end the war in Gaza’
US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Thursday hailed the “death” of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar as a chance to put an end to the war in Gaza.
“This moment gives us an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza,” Harris said, “and it must end such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends.”