Hamas confirms leader Sinwar’s death, as Hezbollah vows new phase of war

A top political leader of Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya, has confirmed the death of the group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar.

Mr al-Hayyaa, in a televised statement, reiterated the Palestinian militant group’s stance that it will not release Israeli hostages captured in the group’s October 7 2023 attack on Israel until there is a ceasefire in the yearlong war in Gaza.

“Those prisoners will not return to you before the end of the aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal from Gaza,” he said.

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Deadly attack

It came after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah vowed on Friday to launch a new phase of fighting against Israel, a day after Israel said its forces in Gaza had killed Mr Sinwar, believed to be the chief architect of last year’s deadly attack on Israel that sparked the multifront war.

In Israel, families of hostages still held in Gaza demanded the Israeli government use Mr Sinwar’s killing as a way to restart negotiations to bring home their loved ones.

There are about 100 hostages remaining in Gaza, at least 30 of whom Israel says are dead.

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'Inflection point'

“We are at an inflection point where the goals set for the war with Gaza have been achieved, all but the release of the hostages,” Ronen Neutra, father of the Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra, said in a video statement.

“Sinwar, who was described as a major obstacle to a deal, is no longer alive.”

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was planning to convene a special meeting on Friday to discuss hostage negotiations, an Israeli official with knowledge of the negotiations said.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information.