The End Of Sinwar, Not The War…
The Defence Ministry of Israel has confirmed that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) eliminated Hamas Chief Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar on October 16, 2024 in a missile attack in Gaza. Reports suggest that Sinwar, who served as the leader of the Hamas Government in the Gaza Strip from February 2017 and also as the Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from August 2024 until his death (succeeding Ismail Haniyeh in both roles), sustained injuries to his right forearm from missile fire, his left leg from fallen masonry and his body from shrapnel, before being shot in the head, resulting in his death from “severe traumatic brain injury“. Later, an IDF officer cut off the index finger of the Hamas Chief to ensure his identity!
The IDF attacked a building in Gaza on October 16, 2024, killing three persons. Immediately after the attack, the IDF claimed that one of them was Sinwar. Later, Tel Aviv confirmed the demise of the Hamas Chief through DNA analysis (of the three bodies). The Israeli Police issued a statement on October 17, mentioning that one of the three corpses matched Sinwar’s dental records and fingerprints. According to the statement, his body was found dressed in military fatigues and a keffiyeh (headdress typically made of cotton and traditionally worn by men in parts of the Middle East). In his final moments, Sinwar was seen holding an AK-47. Among other items found near his body were 40,000 Israeli Shekel (NIS) in cash, a lighter and an UNRWA employee ID.
Israel also released a video of Sinwar’s final moments, depicting the 61-year-old Hamas leader sitting on a chair covered in dust. It also showed that blood was dripping from his right hand, while a drone was flying near him! He was further seen throwing a stick, aiming at the drone. Again, Sinwar was seen trying to tie his arm with an electric wire, as one of his arms was badly injured. However, he could not tie it tight enough and later, he was shot in the head!
Lieutenant Colonel Itamar Eitam, one of the IDF officers in the unit that eliminated Sinwar, shared a post on social media on October 18, describing the minutes he spent alone with the body of the Hamas Chief after the operation. Eitam wrote: “I just left Rafah. Not long ago, I looked him – Sinwar – in the eyes. I had a few minutes alone with him, and I looked at him – a small, ugly and broken figure, lying on a shattered couch.” The Lieutenant Colonel added that he thought “about all the good people who are no longer here: Amishar, Banba, Roy, Tomer, Salman, Eder, Ran, and many, many more – fallen soldiers, orphans, hostages and the wounded“.
Lieutenant Colonel Eitam further said: “So much pain this man caused. I looked at the ruined city and I even felt pain for them, but more than anything, I felt insulted – insulted on behalf of God.” He stated: “Because he, too, was once a baby and a child, and he had a choice, and he chose evil. He chose wickedness. What an insult that he was also a person created in Your image. How distorted. How much better the world is now. We won’t be confused, and we won’t give up. Together we will win. Happy holiday.“
After eliminating Sinwar, Israel stepped up attacks in Gaza in order to prevent the Palestinian Movement from consolidating. The Zionist Regime sent large forces to northern Gaza on October 18. Reports suggest that the Israeli soldiers attacked the biggest refugee camp in Jabalia, killing 33 Palestinians and injuring more than 85. The Local Administration in Gaza claimed that more bodies were trapped under the rubble, stating that the IDF indiscriminately destroyed roads and houses. Khalil al-Hayya, the Deputy Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau since August 2024 and the most influential leader of Hamas after Sinwar, has made clear that the question of release of Israeli prisoners does not arise until the Israeli Army withdraws from Gaza. He has hinted that Hamas would retaliate strongly!
Meanwhile, missiles were fired at the official residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu on October 19. Neither PM Netanyahu nor his wife was there when the missiles landed near their residence in the Mediterranean coastal town of Caesarea from Lebanon! The Israeli media reported that a missile got stuck in a house in Caesarea and exploded, although no one died.
On October 18, the Palestinian Hamas Movement confirmed the death of Sinwar, saying in a statement that it was “painful and distressing” to lose its leader. At the same time, the Palestinian outfit declared that Sinwar has become “an icon for the Palestinian people”. As expected, Hamas is facing a leadership crisis after the demise of Sinwar. Keeping in mind the current situation in Gaza, they have decided to look for a new leader who could run the outfit from outside Gaza. In fact, the killing of Sinwar has left the Palestinian group considering new leadership for the second time in less than three months.
Interestingly, Bassem Naim, a Qatar-based member of the Hamas’ Political Bureau, has announced that they would bounce back strongly, stressing that an Israeli airstrike had killed top Hamas leaders, including its founding leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his successor Abdel Aziz Rantisi, in 2004. “Hamas each time became stronger and more popular, and these leaders became an icon for future generations,” he added.
It seems that the end of Sinwar is not the end of war!
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Boundless Ocean Of Politics 