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Killing of Hamas Chief Sinwar Sends Shockwaves Across Middle East, Raises New Uncertainty Over Hostages
Hamas leader and Oct. 7 pogrom mastermind Yahya Sinwar addressing a rally in Gaza. Photo: Reuters/braheem Abu Mustafa
The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the Palestinian terror group’s Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel, has sent shockwaves throughout the Middle East, prompting concerns about retaliation and the safety of the 101 hostages still being held captive in Gaza, a former Israeli intelligence official told The Algemeiner on Thursday.
Sinwar was killed in an intense but routine firefight in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Wednesday night, according to the Israeli military. The force that eliminated Sinwar, which was a cadet squad that was not targeting the Hamas chief, first encountered resistance when tank shells were fired at a building where suspicious figures had been observed. Despite initial pushback, including grenade attacks from terrorists inside, the Israeli forces persisted, using drones to track the movements of fleeing combatants. After further shelling, one masked figure was located by a drone, and additional fire was directed at his position. A video later released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shows the masked figure, later identified as Sinwar, throwing a stick at the drone but missing.
It wasn’t until the following morning that Israeli forces discovered that the slain terrorist bore a striking resemblance to Sinwar. On his body, soldiers found several personal items, including a fake passport, Mentos, money, a weapon, a lighter, and an ID belonging to a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) employee.
Items found by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s body. Photo: Israel Defense Forces
Items found by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s body. Photo: Israel Defense Forces
Sinwar’s death comes as negotiations over a hostage release deal have stalled, in part over the deceased terror chief’s maximalist position demanding the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire, with the New York Times reporting last week that Sinwar’s “hardened” attitude had left US mediators to speculate that “Hamas has no intention of reaching a deal with Israel.” Israel, for its part, has consistently rejected any proposal that would allow Hamas to maintain control over the Gaza Strip or rebuild its military capabilities.
Israeli intelligence expert and former senior official on Arab affairs, Avi Melamed, said that the coming days will be crucial in determining the ramifications of Sinwar’s death with regard to the hostages kidnapped last Oct. 7. “Some of the people who are holding some of the hostages may take revenge and kill [them],” he warned.
On the other hand, Melamed said, Sinwar’s elimination might create new opportunities for negotiations, particularly if the Hamas leadership becomes destabilized, suggesting that “the path may now be open for some sort of arrangements or agreements” that could lead to the release of hostages.
But such an outcome is also fraught with challenges, because the hostages are estimated to be scattered across various locations in Gaza, he said, with some believed to be held by civilians rather than Hamas militants. “Even Hamas leadership, if they want to move forward, may have difficulties locating those who hold the hostages,” Melamed explained.
Israeli efforts to secure the release of hostages have been complicated by Hamas’s decentralized command structure, and the death of Sinwar introduces new uncertainty about who will succeed him as leader. While his brother, Mohammad Sinwar, is seen as a potential successor, there are conflicting reports about whether he is even alive, with some Arabic language reports saying that he was killed in the same strike that killed his brother.
Even though Mohammad Sinwar, as leader of the al-Qassam Brigades, holds significant sway within Hamas, he lacks the same level of authority, strategic insight, and influence as his brother. Yahya, as both the political and military leader in Gaza, had consolidated power across multiple facets of Hamas operations, making him a central figure both within the group’s leadership — including those in exile in Qatar — and in external negotiations. Mohammad, while influential within the military wing, does not possess Yahya’s extensive network or political clout, which could lead to internal challenges or a weakened leadership structure moving forward.
But Mohammad, Melamed stressed, is “no less brutal and psychopathic than his brother.”
Az al-Din Haddad, the commander of Hamas’s Gaza Brigade, stands as one of the few remaining high-ranking leaders within the al-Qassam Brigades, and could become a candidate to succeed Sinwar. Known for his resilience and charm, Haddad has survived multiple Israeli assassination attempts, a fact that has bolstered his standing within the organization. If Haddad were to succeed Sinwar, it would mark a shift in leadership.
Beyond the immediate hostage crisis, Sinwar’s killing also raises larger questions about broader strategic calculus, particularly regarding Iran, which backs Hamas.
“There is a connection between these things,” Melamed remarked. “One thought is this might incentivize Israel to attack Iran, while another says the total opposite, that now Israel will hold off on its plans to attack.”
According to Melamed, Israel may opt to hold off on a strike in Iran in retaliation for Tehran’s recent ballistic missile attack against the Jewish state to see whether Palestinians holding hostages will respond to the Israeli Prime Minister’s appeal for their release, which was issued shortly after the announcement of Sinwar’s death. Iranian state media are framing Sinwar’s death as an act of “martyrdom,” lauding the Hamas leader for “dying in combat” against Israel in Gaza.
Meanwhile Hamas-affiliated outlets have denied his death. The Gaza Now outlet posted a warning to its followers, stating, “Warning, the reports about the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar are completely false, and the occupation’s publication and circulation of this news is an attempt to collect intelligence information, as it did previously with leader Muhammad al-Deif. Please be careful.”
The post Killing of Hamas Chief Sinwar Sends Shockwaves Across Middle East, Raises New Uncertainty Over Hostages first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Vows to Press on with Offensive
Smoke rises following an Israeli strike, in Gaza City, August 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Israeli planes and tanks pounded the eastern and northern outskirts of Gaza City overnight Saturday to Sunday, destroying buildings and homes, residents said, as Israeli leaders vowed to press on with a planned offensive on the city.
Witnesses reported the sound of explosions non-stop overnight in the areas of Zeitoun and Shejaia, while tanks shelled houses and roads in the nearby Sabra neighborhood and several buildings were blown up in the northern town of Jabalia.
Fire lit the skies from the direction of the explosions, causing panic, prompting some families to stream out of the city. Others said they would prefer to die and not leave.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its forces have returned to combat in the Jabalia area in recent days, to dismantle militant tunnels and strengthen control of the area.
It added that the operation there “enables the expansion of combat into additional areas and prevents Hamas terrorists from returning to operate in these areas.”
Israel approved a plan this month to seize control of Gaza City, describing it as the last bastion of Hamas. It is not expected to begin for a few weeks, leaving room for mediators Egypt and Qatar to try and resume ceasefire talks.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday vowed to press on with the offensive on the city where famine has been declared, which has raised alarm abroad and objections at home. Katz has said that Gaza City will be razed unless Hamas agrees to end the war on Israel’s terms and release all hostages.
Hamas said in a statement on Sunday that Israel’s plan to take over Gaza City showed it wasn’t serious about a ceasefire.
It said a ceasefire agreement was “the only way to return the hostages,” holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for their lives.
The proposal on the table calls for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living hostages held in Gaza and of 18 bodies. In turn, Israel would release about 200 long-serving Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Once a temporary ceasefire begins, the proposal is for Hamas and Israel to begin negotiations on a permanent ceasefire that would include the return of the remaining hostages.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said that Israel would immediately resume negotiations for the release of all 50 hostages – of whom Israel believes around 20 are still living – and an end to the nearly two-year-old war but on terms acceptable to Israel.
‘HUNGRY AND AFRAID’
Around half of the enclave’s two million people currently live in Gaza City. A few thousand have already left, carrying their belongings on vehicles and rickshaws.
“I stopped counting the times I had to take my wife and three daughters and leave my home in Gaza City,” said Mohammad, 40, via a chat app. “No place is safe, but I can’t take the risk. If they suddenly begin the invasion, they will use heavy fire.”
Others said they will not leave, no matter what.
“We are not leaving, let them bomb us at home,” said Aya, 31, who has a family of eight, adding that they couldn’t afford to buy a tent or pay for the transportation, even if they did try to leave. “We are hungry, afraid and don’t have money.”
A global hunger monitor said on Friday that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine that will likely spread. Israel has rejected the assessment and says it ignores steps it has taken since late July to increase aid.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen burst into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.
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Iran Signals Willingness to Scale Back Uranium Enrichment to Ease Tensions
Atomic symbol and USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, September 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
i24 News – Iran may be prepared to significantly reduce its uranium enrichment levels in a bid to stave off renewed UN sanctions and limit the risk of further strikes by Israel and the United States, according to a report published Sunday in The Telegraph.
Citing Iranian sources, the paper said Tehran is considering lowering enrichment from 60% to 20%.
The move is reportedly being championed by Ali Larijani, the newly appointed secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, who is holding talks with regime leaders.
“Larijani is trying to convince the system to reduce the level of enrichment in order to avoid further war,” a senior Iranian official told the paper.
The proposal, however, faces stiff resistance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has long opposed concessions on the nuclear program. Still, the report suggests Iran’s leadership may be open to greater flexibility, including the possibility of reviving engagement with Western powers.
Last month, i24NEWS reported exclusively that a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to travel to Iran. The team of technical experts would seek to resume monitoring of nuclear sites, inspections that have been heavily restricted in recent years.
The development comes amid mounting regional tensions and could represent a critical turning point in the long-running nuclear standoff.
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Major Brush Fire Erupts Near Jerusalem, Evacuations Underway
A view of the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train seen over the HaArazim Valley (“Valley of Cedars”) just outside of Jerusalem, Sept. 25, 2018. Photo: Yossi Zamir/Flash90.
i24 News – A large brush fire broke out Sunday in the Cedars Valley area, near Route 1 and the Motza interchange, prompting an emergency response from Jerusalem district fire services. Several water-bombing planes were dispatched, and authorities have declared a “fire emergency.”
As a precaution, residents of Mevaseret Zion are being evacuated. Access to the town from Route 1 has already been blocked, and officials are weighing a full closure of the major highway.
Fire crews from the Ha’uma station are on site working to contain the flames, while motorists in the area are urged to heed traffic updates and follow instructions from emergency services.
Eight firefighting aircraft are currently operating above the blaze in support of ground teams. The fire comes amid one of the hottest, driest summers on record, with conditions fueling a series of destructive wildfires across the country.
Officials warn the situation remains critical, as the blaze threatens a vital transportation corridor leading into Jerusalem.