What does Sinwar’s death mean for prospects of Gaza ceasefire and hostage negotiations?

In Focus by The Hindu

Yayha Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and head of the group’s political bureau was killed by Israeli forces on October 16. His death sparked contrasting reactions. While the West has largely endorsed the killing of a man Israel’s considers as the ‘mastermind’ of the October 7, 2023 attack, Palestinians, Arabs, and other actors in the Middle East have hailed him as a ‘martyr’ and a ‘hero’ who will inspire Palestinians to continue their fight for self-determination and statehood.

Some commentators in the West also see in his passing an opportunity for a ceasefire, return of the Israeli hostages, and a strategic reshaping of the region in favour of Israeli and American interests.

What does Sinwar’s death mean for Hamas? Will it help or hinder the prospects of a ceasefire in Gaza? What does Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mean when he said that the war is “not over” despite the killing of top Hamas leaders such as Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and also much of Hezbollah’s senior leadership?

Guest: Dr. Andreas Krieg, Associate Professor in the School of Security, Defence Studies Department, Institute of Middle-Eastern Studies, at King’s College, London.

Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

Edited by Jude Francis Weston