Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar Killed by Israel

Yahya Sinwar, the slain Hamas leader, rejected an offer from Arab negotiators to leave Gaza in exchange for allowing Egypt to handle negotiations for a hostage deal with Israel. Sinwar, who orchestrated the October 7 attacks that ignited the current conflict, believed the war could draw Iran and its proxies into a wider regional conflict. He expressed confidence that Hamas would be in a stronger negotiating position after his death and advised the group to form a leadership council to govern posthumously. Despite the ongoing war and high civilian casualties in Gaza, he maintained that he was not under siege and refused to concede to pressure for a ceasefire. Following his death at the hands of Israeli forces, discussions around a potential hostage deal are complicated, with Israeli officials cautioning that significant progress is unlikely until regional tensions stabilize. His death has prompted renewed fears regarding Hamas's response to hostages held by the group.