Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar Eliminated, Israel Offers a New Way Forward
October 17, 2024
7:58 PM
Reading time: 4 minutes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement late Thursday evening praising the IDF for eliminating Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and declaring that a new day had dawned for both Palestinians and Israelis, as well as the whole Middle East region. “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza. This is the beginning of the day after Hamas,” Netanyahu declared. In a direct appeal to Gazan civilians, he added “This is an opportunity for you, the residents of Gaza, to finally break free from its tyranny.”
He also made a public offer to anyone still holding Israeli hostages in the Strip, saying those who choose to put down their “weapon and return our hostages” would be allowed to “leave and live." However, he added, "Whoever harms our hostages - their blood on his head. We will settle accounts with him. The return of our hostages is an opportunity to achieve all our goals and it brings the end of the war closer.”
He also had a statement for the families of the hostages, saying “This is an important moment in the war. We will continue to work with all our powers to bring home all your loved ones, who are our loved ones. This is our highest commitment. This is my highest commitment."
He also addressed leaders and populations of countries all over the Middle East region, saying "We have a great opportunity to halt the [Iranian-led] axis of evil and to create a different future...a future of peace, a future of prosperity for the entire region.”
“Now it is clear to everyone, in Israel and in the world why we insisted on not ending the war, why we insisted in the face of all the pressures to enter Rafah, the fortified stronghold of Hamas where Sinwar and many of the murderers hid,” he added. Led by Sinwar, Hamas had committed the “most terrible massacre in the history of our nation since the Holocaust, the mass murderer who murdered thousands of Israelis and kidnapped hundreds of our citizens. Today, as we promised to do, we came to account with him.”
He concluded, however, with a word of caution to the Israeli people that although an important milestone had been reached, the war is not over yet, and there are "still difficult days ahead."
As if to drive home this point, the IDF announced on Thursday evening that five soldiers had been killed in action in southern Lebanon and nine others seriously wounded.
Major Ofek Bachar, aged 24, from Ness Ziona, a Company Commander from the Golani Reconnaissance Unit; Captain Elad Siman Tov, aged 23, from Tzofim, a Platoon Commander from the Golani Reconnaissance Unit; Staff Sergeant Elyashiv Eitan Wieder, aged 22, from Jerusalem, a Squad Commander from the Golani Reconnaissance Unit; Staff Sergeant Yakov Hillel, aged 21, from Jerusalem, a soldier from the Golani Reconnaissance Unit; and Staff Sergeant Yehudah Dror Yahalom, aged 21, from Hebron, a soldier from the Golani Reconnaissance Unit, fell during combat in southern Lebanon, the IDF announced on Thursday.