DEIR EL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces within the Gaza Strip has drawn conflicting reactions amongst Palestinians. Whereas some consider that his killing might pave the way in which to an finish of the struggle and convey calm to Gaza, others are deeply saddened by the lack of a pacesetter they contemplate a Palestinian hero who fought the Israeli occupation to the very finish.
Israel accused Sinwar of being the architect of the so-called Al-Aqsa Flood operation, during which 1000’s of Hamas members stormed the settlements in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing practically 1,200 Israelis and taking up 240 others hostage.
Israeli army spokesperson mentioned in a press convention on Thursday {that a} soldier from the 828th Brigade recognized and killed three Hamas operatives in a firefight close to Rafah in southern Gaza.
“After finishing the method of figuring out the physique, it may be confirmed that Yahya Sinwar was eradicated,” he added.
Hamas confirmed Sinwar’s dying on Friday. “The assassination of Sinwar and all our leaders will solely make Hamas and our resistance stronger and extra decided to proceed on their path and stay loyal to their blood and sacrifices,” Hamas senior official Khalil al-Haya mentioned in a televised speech.
Haya reiterated that Hamas is not going to return the Israeli captives to Israel until the struggle on Gaza ends, Israeli troops withdraw and Palestinian prisoners are launched from Israeli jails.
Hamas senior Basem Naim mentioned in a press assertion on Friday that Sinwar’s dying is “painful and sorrowful, however the motion will triumph in the long run.”
“Israel apparently thinks that killing our leaders would finish our motion and the battle of the Palestinian individuals. They will consider what they need, and this isn’t the primary time they are saying that,” Naim added.
He burdened that Hamas is “rising in energy and recognition” with every assassination of former leaders.
Reduction and satisfaction
Muhannad al-Rais, who was displaced from Gaza Metropolis to a camp in Deir el-Balah camp in central Gaza, is relieved that Sinwar was killed. “I can’t disguise my anger at Yahya Sinwar for the scourge of struggle he introduced upon us,” he advised Al-Monitor.
“Because the starting of the struggle, we’ve been paying the worth. Our kids are dying, our houses are being destroyed and our life has turn into a day by day nightmare in tents. It’s true that Sinwar dealt painful blows to the Israeli occupation, however his extremist choices introduced us extra ache and destruction,” he added.
“We’re caught on this struggle that has no finish in sight, and every time issues escalate, it’s due to leaders who don’t take into consideration our future or the destiny of future generations,” he mentioned.
However some Gazans consider Sinwar died a hero on the battlefield.
Habiba Radwan from Khan Younis in southern Gaza advised Al-Monitor, “We thought Sinwar was hiding within the tunnels and didn’t care about our scenario, however his dying in fight created nice sympathy for him among the many individuals.”
Radwan, who misplaced three of her sons to an Israeli airstrike in April, expressed hope that Sinwar’s dying would mark the top of the struggle. “Israel took revenge on him, so what’s left now?”
Abu Talal Qishta, 72, mentioned, “Sinwar was martyred in essentially the most harmful place: within the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, which was evacuated greater than 5 months in the past. He was not within the tunnels or among the many displaced, however on the battlefield, above the bottom, combating with the Israeli troopers.”
“This man grew to become an icon of the Palestinian battle with such a dying. If he had died hiding in a tunnel, he wouldn’t have acquired any sympathy,” Qishta mentioned.
Will Sinwar’s dying deliver finish to struggle?
In keeping with Mustafa Barghouti, secretary common of the Palestinian Nationwide Initiative, Sinwar’s killing doesn’t imply the top of the Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation.
“The occasion that Sinwar created on Oct. 7 was not the start of the battle, as a result of the start of this battle dates again to 1948, when the state of Israel was established on the ruins of Palestinian villages and cities from which Palestinians have been expelled and proceed to be expelled to this present day,” Barghouti advised Al-Monitor.
He known as blaming Sinwar for the struggle “sufferer blaming,” saying, “If the Israeli occupation had ended earlier than, there wouldn’t have been [leaders] like Sinwar or [resistance groups] like Hamas.”
Barghouti added, “Oct. 7 have to be seen consequently, not a trigger. It’s a results of the oppression, persecution, ethnic cleaning, occupation, settlement actions and homicide that the Palestinians have been subjected to for many years.”
Ahmad Rafiq Awad, a media professor at Al-Quds College, has a special view. He mentioned, “Hamas acquired a painful blow with the martyrdom of its chief Yahya Sinwar and plenty of of its former leaders, together with political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and his deputy Saleh al-Arouri.”
Chatting with Al-Monitor, Awad defined that these blows break the chain of communication between Hamas’ command and government establishments and have an effect on the group’s capacity to make choices.
He believes the following stage will probably be very troublesome for Hamas, “so it should present larger flexibility in any upcoming cease-fire negotiations. In any other case, obstructing any negotiations and taking hardened [positions] will threaten the existence of Hamas and its survival within the Palestinian political scene, as Israel is not going to hesitate to assassinate extra of its political leaders.”
In keeping with Awad, Hamas is not going to instantly select a brand new chief as a result of communication amongst its elements has turn into troublesome. “Maybe Hamas might not disclose the id of its new chief, or might even select a bunch of a number of leaders as a substitute of a single individual.”
Commenting on whether or not Sinwar’s killing would result in an finish of the struggle, Awad mentioned, “This choice is solely in Israel’s arms as a result of it’s the one who refuses to go away Gaza. However I believe there’s a probability to finish the struggle after Sinwar’s killing.”
