JERUSALEM, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation on Thursday after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, framing the event as a turning point in Israel’s war against the militant group that has controlled Gaza for over a decade.
“This is the beginning of the day after Hamas,” Netanyahu declared in a recorded video message.
The Prime Minister called the elimination of Sinwar, confirmed by Israeli military DNA tests on Thursday, October 17, 2024, a major blow to Hamas but warned that Israel’s mission was far from over.
“Evil has suffered a heavy blow, but the task before us is not yet complete,” Netanyahu said.
He emphasised that Sinwar’s death was “an important moment in the war” and presented it as an opportunity for the residents of Gaza to “finally break free from (Hamas’) tyranny.”
In his address, Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s vow to dismantle Hamas’s leadership entirely, stating that all of the group’s leaders would be eliminated.
He also issued a direct appeal to those holding Israeli hostages in Gaza, urging them to surrender.
“To those holding our loved ones, lay down your weapons and return the hostages. Whoever does so will be allowed to go out and live,” Netanyahu said, signalling a possible path for Hamas fighters to avoid further conflict if they release the captives.
Netanyahu praised the Israeli soldiers involved in the operation that killed Sinwar, calling them “heroic.”
He reassured the families of hostages that their safe return remained Israel’s top priority.
“Our highest commitment is to continue with all our strength until the return home of all your loved ones, who are our loved ones,” Netanyahu said.
The killing of Sinwar, who had been a major figure in Hamas since his rise to power in 2017, follows Israel’s intensive military campaign against the group, which was sparked by Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
Netanyahu used the occasion to emphasise why the Israeli government had resisted international calls for a ceasefire.
“Now it is clear to everyone, in Israel and in the world, why we insisted on not ending the war,” Netanyahu said, pointing to the strategic importance of dismantling Hamas to prevent future attacks.
As the conflict rages on, the elimination of Sinwar marks a key moment in Israel’s efforts to eradicate Hamas’s leadership, though it also leaves uncertainty over how Hamas and its supporters in Gaza and across the region will respond.
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