Hamas said on Friday that hostages held in the Gaza Strip would not be released as long as Israel continued its military offensive. The deputy head of the organization, Khalil al-Hiya, affirmed in a press release taken up by i24 news that “ the abductees would only return home once the war is over and the Palestinian prisoners are releaseds”. This statement comes after the death of Yahya Sinouar, the leader of Hamas, killed by Israeli forces in a targeted operation. The 61-year-old official, considered the architect of the attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, was appointed head of Hamas on August 6, 2024, replacing Ismaël Haniyeh, killed in Tehran a few days earlier.
The death of Yahya Sinouar had nevertheless raised hopes, particularly in Western countries, of a possible end to the conflict. The Israeli Prime Minister had also assured that this disappearance marked “ the beginning of the end » of the war in Gaza. During a telephone interview, Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden announced that they wanted to cooperate to achieve the release of Israeli hostages after the death of the Hamas leader. Emmanuel Macron, for his part, demanded the release of “all Hamas hostages”, while continuing to call for a ceasefire.
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Hamas is “alive and will remain so”, assures Iran
In reaction to the elimination of the Israeli leader, Lebanese Hezbollah announced Friday that it was opening a new phase of escalation in its confrontation with Israel. The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas is “ alive and will remain so » despite the death of its leader, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday. In recent days, Israel has intensified its attacks in Gaza and against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas’ other major ally.
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