The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinouar is a hard blow for the organization, but will not prevent it from existing, says an expert.
“Of course it’s a hard blow, obviously, because well, not only was he the leader of Hamas, but he’s also a bit of a symbol. But Hamas, like Hezbollah, you saw, they managed to eliminate Nasrallah, but Hezbollah still exists. Hamas is a bit like that,” explained Sylvain Castonguay, independent journalist.
For the journalist, the people who could succeed him are no less radical than he was.
“For people like him, it’s victory or death. He has one thing in common with Netanyahu and the Likud people [parti politique israélien de tendance national-libérale]. He doesn’t believe in the two-state solution either. This is absolutely excluded,” he continued.
The Hamas leader was seen by many as an obstacle to the release of Israeli hostages since October 7, and many also held him responsible for the failure to progress negotiations on a ceasefire.
However, Mr. Castonguay believes that to stop the conflict, a compromise difficult to accept must be put forward.
“I think that an idea cannot be bombarded, it cannot be eliminated. And I think that if they ever got there, it’s a bit utopian to think so, but right now, when we see all the victims in the Gaza Strip […] we must arrive at a solution that will displease the extremists on both sides so that the people who live in between can live in peace,” he added.
«[Yahya Sinouar] “killed many more Palestinians than killed Israelis in his lifetime,” he continued.
This news raises hope among the families of the hostages still held in Gaza, but also raises questions about the continuation of this war which has cost the lives of more than 40,000 Palestinians.
