Israel and Its Iran-aligned Foes Vow More War after Hamas Leader's Death

October 18, 2024 | 11:56 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jerusalem - Pledges from Israel and its enemies Hamas and Hezbollah to keep fighting in Gaza and Lebanon dashed hopes on Friday that the death of Palestinian militant leader Yahya Sinwar might hasten an end to more than a year of escalating war in the Middle East.

Israel's arch-foe and the militants' main backer Iran also said Sinwar's death would only fuel "the spirit of resistance".

Hamas leader Sinwar, a mastermind of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Gaza war, was killed by Israeli soldiers in the Palestinian enclave on Wednesday.

Video showed him tossing a stick at a drone as he sat dying.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called his killing a milestone but vowed to keep up the war, which in recent weeks expanded from fighting Hamas in Gaza into an invasion and pursuit of Hezbollah of Lebanon.

"The war, my dear ones, is not yet over," Netanyahu told Israelis late on Thursday, saying fighting would continue until hostages held by Hamas are released.

"We have before us a great opportunity to stop the axis of evil," he added, referring to Iran and its militant allies across the region, also in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Hamas said hostages would only be released with a halt of hostilities in Gaza, an Israeli withdrawal and the release of its prisoners. "The martyrdom of our brother, the leader Yahya Sinwar ... will only increase the strength and resolve of Hamas and our resistance," it said, confirming his death in combat.

That rhetoric from the warring parties contrasted with Western leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, who said Sinwar's death offered a chance for negotiations.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Sinwar had been refusing talks. "Can’t predict that that means whoever replaces (Sinwar) will agree to a ceasefire, but it does remove what has been in recent months the chief obstacle to getting one," he said.

Israel's government has rejected several attempts by its main ally the U.S. at brokering ceasefires in both Gaza and Lebanon, pressing on with its wars. Iran has looked largely powerless to match Israel's military might, including U.S. arms.

One senior diplomat working in Lebanon told Reuters that hopes Sinwar's death would end the war appeared misplaced.

"We had hoped, really throughout this, that getting rid of Sinwar would be the turning point where the wars would end ... where everyone would be ready to put their weapons down. It appears we were once again mistaken," the diplomat said.

The conflict has caused the first direct Iranian-Israeli confrontations, including missile attacks on Israel in April and Oct. 1. Netanyahu has vowed to respond to the October attack, which caused little damage. Washington has pressed Israel to limit targets and not strike Iranian energy facilities or nuclear sites.

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