Israel vows to eliminate new hamas chief stokes fears of deepening gaza war

Israel vows to eliminate new hamas chief stokes fears of deepening gaza war

Israel has vowed to eliminate the newly appointed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the devastating attack on October 7. The escalating regional tensions threaten to further intensify the ongoing Gaza war, which has now entered its 11th month.

Sinwar's appointment as the head of the Palestinian militant group coincided with Israel's preparations for potential retaliation from Iran following the assassination of Sinwar's predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran last week.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing new recruits at a military base on Wednesday, highlighted Israel's readiness to defend itself both defensively and offensively. ‘We are prepared both defensively and offensively,’ he told new recruits.

Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the army chief, vowed to locate and attack Sinwar, forcing Hamas to find a replacement.

Sinwar, who has led Hamas in Gaza since 2017, has remained out of sight since the October 7 attack, the deadliest in Israel's history.

A senior Hamas official told AFP that Sinwar's selection sends a clear message about the organization's unwavering commitment to resistance.

Analysts suggest that Sinwar has been more hesitant to agree to a Gaza ceasefire and has closer ties to Tehran compared to Haniyeh, who resided in Qatar. They believe that a ceasefire agreement is even less likely under Sinwar's leadership, as Hamas is expected to further embrace its hardline militant strategy.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken pointed out Sinwar's role in achieving a ceasefire, saying that he ‘has been and remains the primary decider’.

However, civilians in both Israel and Gaza have expressed unease about Sinwar's appointment.

Mohammad al-Sharif, a displaced Gazan, questioned the possibility of negotiations under Sinwar's leadership, while Hanan, a logistics company manager in Tel Aviv, told AFP that Hamas's choice of Sinwar indicates their unwillingness to seek a less militant approach.