In the aftermath of the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Oct. 17, both the U.S. and the Israelis are claiming that an “opportunity” has now opened up to negotiate a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza. President Joe Biden claimed, before leaving Germany yesterday, that peace is almost at hand. “We think that there’s a possibility of working to a ceasefire in Lebanon. And it’s going to be harder in Gaza, but we agree that there has to be an outcome, what—what happens the day after,” he said.
The Prime Minister’s Office said Biden called Netanyahu on Thursday night, Oct. 17, to congratulate him on Sinwar’s killing, and that the two leaders agreed to pursue the new opportunity to release the hostages. White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters in Washington that Sinwar had been (allegedly) a key obstacle in talks to secure the hostages’ release and a ceasefire in Gaza, and that his killing was an “inflection point” in reaching those goals. However, Kirby noted, talks had yet to be renewed.
Hebrew media reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met with President Isaac Herzog on Oct. 18 to discuss the new “window of opportunity” that Sinwar’s killing had opened, reported the Times of Israel.
All indications are, however, that the wars in Gaza and Lebanon are continuing without let up and that Sinwar’s death has not opened up an “opportunity” for any kind of a ceasefire deal, though Israel will try to use it for its own advantage.
