JERUSALEM, Israel – Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of October 7th, and the mass murderer of more Jews than anyone since Hitler, is dead.
Israeli soldiers killed Sinwar on Wednesday in the southern Gaza city of Rafah after evading the Israel Defense Forces for more than a year.
Soon after the news, Israeli celebrations began at the Western Wall, at IDF posts in Gaza, and around the country.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it's not the end of the war in Gaza, but it is the beginning of the end.
He spoke directly to the people in Gaza, telling them, "I have a simple message: This war can end tomorrow. It can end if Hamas lays down its arms and returns our hostages. And Israel will guarantee the safety of all those who return our hostages. But to those who would harm our hostages, I have another message: Israel will hunt you down and bring you to justice.”
Sinwar planned the October 7th massacre, where nearly 1,200 Israelis and other nationalities were slaughtered and more than 250 kidnapped.
IDF Chief Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated, "On this day, our thoughts are with the families of those murdered or kidnapped because of Sinwar.”
Hagari explained the young soldiers who killed him didn't even realize it was Sinwar they were chasing.
An IDF drone flew into the house where Sinwar hid and captured his final moments.
Hagari said Israel had fulfilled its pledge to bring the terror leader to justice, but the work is not done.
“We will not rest until we bring home all our hostages by any means and we will continue to operate until we complete all our missions in defense of the people of Israel.”
Some see the death of the man who pledged to eliminate the State of Israel from the map as the equivalent of the U.S. killing Osama bin Laden.
International Security Analyst Nomi Bar-Yaacov said, "It’s a big deal at that. He is the man, Yahya Sinwar, almost singlehandedly, who planned, orchestrated, the 7th of October attack on Israel.”
Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant believes Sinwar's death sends a clear message.
“The elimination of Sinwar joins a long series of eliminations – from Nasrallah to Muhammad Deif and many more." Gallant declared. "We will reach every terrorist wherever he is and eliminate him.”
Gallant told the remaining Gazan terrorists, “It is time to go out, release the hostages, raise your hands, surrender.”
Yet, some fear Hamas may kill all the hostages now.
One relative of a hostage, Efrat Kalderon, said, “They might murder them or do something because of the murder of Sinwar, and that's the thing that I'm afraid of.”
President Joe Biden indicated he's already talking about the future with Netanyahu.
"It's time for this war to end and bring these hostages home," Biden said.
The U.S. State Department saw Sinwar as the major blockade to ending the war in Gaza.
State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller noted, "He didn't just launch this conflict, but for the past year has refused the efforts of the United States and our partners to end it."
Some Palestinians are sad about Sinwar's death, but others see it as a chance to end the war that has so devastated their lives.
Um Mohammed, a displaced Palestinian, declared, "There is no reason left for them to continue the war any longer. When we heard the news of Sinwar, it is true that we were sad for him, but at the same time we were happy that the war could end."
Netanyahu contends this is indeed the time to end the war – not just with the Iranian proxy Hamas, but with Iran's entire axis of evil.
“All those who seek a future of prosperity and peace in the Middle East should unite to build a better future. Together, we can push back the forces of darkness and create a future of light and hope for all of us," the prime minister said.
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