Israel vows to kill new Hamas political leader who plotted Oct. 7 massacre
Yahya Sinwar is believed to be hiding in Gaza following assassination of Ismail Haniyeh
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Israel is vowing to kill the new political leader of Hamas, with an IDF official saying the only place he belongs is beside the group’s slain military commander and the rest of the "October 7th terrorists."
Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ top official in Gaza and one of the masterminds of the massacre that launched the Israel-Hamas war, has become Hamas' new political chief following the July 31 assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.
"There is only one place for Yahya Sinwar, and it is beside Mohammed Deif and the rest of the October 7th terrorists," Israel Defense Forces Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in an interview with Saudi news channel Al-Arabiya, according to The Associated Press.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Israel says it has killed Deif, the head of Hamas’ military wing and another Oct. 7 attack mastermind, in a strike in southern Gaza last month. Hamas has not confirmed Deif’s death.
Yahya Sinwar, shown here second from right in Gaza City in December 2022, previously was Hamas' leader in Gaza. (Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
"Yahya Sinwar is a terrorist, who is responsible for the most brutal terrorist attack in history -- October 7th," Hagari added during the interview with Al-Arabiya.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Sinwar has the power to ensure a cease-fire deal is reached in the Israel-Hamas war.
Sinwar "has been and remains the primary decider when it comes to concluding the cease-fire, and so I think this only underscores the fact that it’s really on him to decide whether to move forward with a cease-fire that manifestly will help so many Palestinians in desperate need, women, children, men who are caught in a crossfire," Blinken said. "It really is on him."
ISRAEL SAYS IT HAS KILLED TOP HAMAS MILITARY COMMANDER MOHAMMED DEIF
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Yahya Sinwar has become Hamas' new political chief following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, shown above, last week in Tehran, Iran. (AP)
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has previously called Deif the "Osama Bin Laden of Gaza."
"Deif operated side-by-side with Yahya Sinwar, and during the war, he commanded Hamas' terrorist activity in the Gaza Strip by issuing commands and instructions to senior members of Hamas' Military Wing," the IDF said earlier this month while announcing his death.
An undated photo of Mohammad Deif, who Israel says it has killed during the war in Gaza. (Reuters)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted 251 hostages into the Gaza Strip. Sinwar is believed to remain in hiding in Gaza.
Fox News’ Scott McDonald, Chris Pandolfo and The Associated Press contributed to this report.