United States President, Joe Biden, has confirmed that Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar was among three militants killed by the Israeli military during operations in Gaza and described it as “a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world.”
Tribune Online reports that Sinwar, regarded as the mastermind behind the 7 October attacks on Israel, which claimed over 1,200 lives, was said to have likely been killed.
In a statement on Thursday, Biden revealed that DNA tests have verified Sinwar’s identity, following a mission by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to eliminate him.
Biden noted that the operation to track Sinwar was a collaborative effort between Israeli intelligence and U.S. Special Operations forces.
He emphasised the complexity of the mission, pointing out that Hamas leaders sought refuge in underground tunnels beneath Gaza, prioritising their survival over the lives of civilians above.
Drawing parallels between Sinwar’s death and the 2011 U.S. raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, Biden remarked that the operation marked a day of relief for the people of Israel.
The president reaffirmed Israel’s right to dismantle Hamas’s leadership, declaring that the group’s capacity to orchestrate attacks similar to those on 7 October had been neutralised.
Biden added that he looks forward to speaking with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu to congratulate him on the mission’s success and discuss steps towards ending the conflict.
The statement reads, “Early this morning, Israeli authorities informed my national security team that a mission they conducted in Gaza likely killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. DNA tests have now confirmed that Sinwar is dead. This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world.
“As the leader of the terrorist group Hamas, Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Israelis, Palestinians, Americans, and citizens from over 30 countries. He was the mastermind of the October 7th massacres, rapes, and kidnappings. It was on his orders that Hamas terrorists invaded Israel to intentionally – and with unspeakable savagery – kill and massacre civilians, a Holocaust survivor, children in front of their parents, and parents in front of their children.
“Over 1,200 people were killed on that day, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, including 46 Americans. More than 250 were taken hostage, with 101 still missing. That number includes seven Americans, four of whom are believed to still be alive and held by Hamas terrorists.
“Sinwar is the man most responsible for this, and for so much of what followed. Shortly after the October 7 massacres, I directed Special Operations personnel and our intelligence professionals to work side-by-side with their Israeli counterparts to help locate and track Sinwar and other Hamas leaders hiding in Gaza.
“With our intelligence help, the IDF relentlessly pursued Hamas’s leaders, flushing them out of their hiding places and forcing them onto the run. There has rarely been a military campaign like this, with Hamas leaders living and moving through hundreds of miles of tunnels, organized in multiple stories underground, determined to protect themselves with no care for the civilians suffering above ground.
“Today, however, proves once again that no terrorists anywhere in the world can escape justice, no matter how long it takes. To my Israeli friends, this is no doubt a day of relief and reminiscence, similar to the scenes witnessed throughout the United States after President Obama ordered the raid to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2011.
“Israel has had every right to eliminate the leadership and military structure of Hamas. Hamas is no longer capable of carrying out another October 7.
“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.
“There is now the opportunity for a “day after” in Gaza without Hamas in power, and for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains before us.”
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