Israel threatens to kill Hamas leader Sinwar
In a statement, Halevi said regarding Sinwar: "We will intensify our efforts to find him, attack him, and force the Hamas leadership to replace the head of the political bureau once again."
Previously, Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz had expressed a similar sentiment: The appointment of Sinwar as successor to Haniyya as Hamas chief was "another compelling reason to eliminate him quickly." This "detestable organization," now headed by Sinwar, must be erased from the map.
The Hamas appointed Sinwar as successor to Haniyya, who was killed in Tehran, on Tuesday, about a week after his death. The leader of the Palestinian organization in the Gaza Strip will now be "head of the political bureau," Hamas announced.
Sinwar is considered the mastermind behind the large-scale Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, making him one of the most wanted figures in the Palestinian organization. Since then, he has not appeared in public and is believed to be in the tunnel system under the Gaza Strip.
According to Israeli reports, 1,198 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip during the attack. Israel has since launched massive military operations against targets in the Gaza Strip. According to figures from the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, which cannot be independently verified, more than 39,600 people have been killed so far.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence in Tel Aviv in front of new recruits. "I know that the citizens of Israel are concerned, and I ask you to show patience and restraint. We are prepared both defensively and offensively. We strike our enemies and are determined to defend ourselves," he assured. Israel is heading towards victory.
Haniyya's predecessor, Haniyya, was killed in Tehran in the early hours of last Wednesday. Hamas and Iran blamed Israel for the killing, with Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatening "retribution." Israel has not commented further on Haniyya's killing. Hours earlier, Israel had killed Fuad Shukr, the highest-ranking commander of the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. Its chief, Hassan Nasrallah, also threatened retaliation.
Almost five months ago, Iran directly attacked Israel from its territory for the first time with more than 300 rockets and drones. Tehran denies Israel's right to exist since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and supports various affiliated militias, including Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and groups in Iraq and Syria.
An renewed attack by Iran and its allies has been expected for days. International diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation are in full swing.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Iranian counterpart in a phone call on Wednesday to "do everything to avoid a new military escalation" that would be "not in anyone's interest, including Iran's, and would seriously harm the stability of the region." Iran must also "urge the destabilizing actors it supports to exercise the greatest restraint to avoid a conflagration," Macron said, according to his office.
The French president called on his Iranian colleague to avoid a "cycle of retaliation" - a demand that he later repeated in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, according to Parisian sources.
The Iranian President Peseschkian meanwhile called for an end to Western support for Israel. "If the USA and Western countries want to prevent war and instability in the region, they should immediately stop selling weapons and supporting the Zionist regime," Peseschkian said in a phone call with Macron, according to his website.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) stated that Israel is fully responsible for the killing of Hanija. The "heinous act" only serves to escalate tensions and could lead to a larger conflict that "could affect the entire region," stated Mamadou Tangara, Foreign Minister of Gambia, which currently holds the chair of the OIC.
The spokesperson for the National Security Council of the USA, John Kirby, however, expressed optimism about a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas, despite the current escalation of the conflict. An agreement is "closer than ever," he stated on Wednesday. The USA continues to engage in "intensive diplomacy" to prevent escalation.
The European Union, in a statement, expressed concern over the escalating tensions between Israel and Palestinian groups, calling for de-escalation and respect for international law. In light of the ongoing conflict, the European Union reaffirmed its commitment to fostering peace and stability in the region.
