New Leader of Hamas in Israel’s Crosshairs as Conflict Reaches 11-Month Mark

Just a day after Hamas appointed its new leader, Yahya Sinwar, Israel has responded harshly to this appointment as well and stated that it is “determined” to eliminate the new leader as well. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has stated at a military base that “we are prepared both defensively and offensively.” He stated that we will force Hamas to the extent that they will be making efforts to replace Yahya Sinwar with another new leader of Hamas. Moreover, regarding the appointment of the new leader of Hamas, the Army chief, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, stated that we will “find him” and “attack him” too.

It should be noted that Yahya Sinwar, the new leader of Hamas, has not been seen in Gaza since the October 7 attacks. However, according to the reports found by top Hamas officials, the appointment of Yahya Sinwar presents the message to the Israeli army that Hamas has “continued its path of resistance” amid harsh circumstances, including the death of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh.

Rita Katz, executive director of the SITE Intelligence Group, stated, “If a ceasefire deal seemed unlikely upon Haniyeh’s death, it is even less likely under Yahya Sinwar.” On the other hand, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that Yahya Sinwar, the new leader of Hamas, “has been and remains the primary decider.” He said that if Sinwar wants a ceasefire, it could be easy for him to achieve that.

Contrary to Blinken’s belief, Gazans consider Yahya Sinwar, the new leader of Hamas, a “fighter” and are concerned about the achievement of a ceasefire deal in Gaza. A displaced Gazan inhabitant told AFP, “He is a fighter. How will negotiations take place?” Furthermore, Blinken stated, “No one should escalate this conflict. We’ve been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We communicated that message directly to Israel.”