How Israel managed to eliminate the mastermind behind Hamas

Yahya Sinwar was considered the mastermind behind the horrific attacks of October 7th, which claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis. His elimination by Israel was announced on October 17th. But how did Israel manage to finally put an end to the life of the top leader of Hamas?

Most of the information circulating suggests that sheer coincidence led to the discovery of the location of Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.

The New York Times reports that the elimination of Yahya Sinwar occurred during a routine patrol in the south of Gaza, where a group of soldiers ended up exchanging gunfire with Hamas militants.

According to The New York Times, soldiers would have called for support, after which drones bombed the building, serving as a refuge for the Hamas militants shooting at them. When the soldiers checked the ruins, they were surprised to find the body of Yahya Sinwar.

Israeli sources also confirmed to CNN that Yahya Sinwar's death was by pure luck. It does not seem that Israel's intelligence had accurate information about the whereabouts of the Hamas leader. Simply, the soldiers came across him and ended up eliminating him.

"The Israeli Defense Forces are more surprised than us," a U.S. official assured CNN. Suddenly, Israel ended the life of Hamas's top leader, and, as pointed out by various analysts, it might now have the chance to take the "victory photo."

Peace activists are now calling for Israel to stop its military operations following the fall of Yahya Sinwar. Opinion columns also suggest this possibility; indeed, for Joe Biden (and Kamala Harris), it would be a relief if this war that has been so difficult to manage in the face of American public opinion could be ended.

Almost all of Hamas's strongest leaders have been eliminated by
Israel, in principle, the Netanyahu government might have a solid argument to cease its military operations.

But the big wound for Israel is the dozens of hostages still held by Hamas. However, many relatives of those kidnapped argue that if a ceasefire by Israel was announced, it would be easier to negotiate the release of the captives.

However, there are few chances for immediate peace. Unless there is an unexpected turn of events, most analysts believe that, in the short term, the conflict will continue, and Netanyahu will not announce a cessation of military activities.

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