Biden’s Response to Yahya Sinwar’s Death and the Path to Cease-Fire
On Thursday, President Biden addressed the recent death of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who was killed by the Israeli military on Wednesday. The president suggested that Sinwar’s demise could pave the way for a potential cease-fire in Gaza. He noted that he had reached out to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to commend him on the significant development.
“It’s time for this war to end and for us to focus on bringing these hostages home. That’s our priority,” Mr. Biden stated to reporters upon his arrival in Berlin on Thursday evening. He expressed optimism regarding the prospects for a cease-fire and announced plans to send Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken to Israel within the next four to five days. The aim of Blinken’s visit would be to engage in discussions about ensuring security in Gaza and outlining what the situation might look like in the aftermath of the conflict.
Earlier in the day, President Biden remarked, “Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. With his removal from the equation, we have the potential to make progress. However, much work still lies ahead.”
Sinwar’s death, who played a crucial role in orchestrating the attacks on October 7, arrives at a time when the rapport between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Biden has been under strain. The two leaders had a conversation last week, their first in two months, where they discussed Israel’s plans for retaliation against Iran following a missile strike earlier in October. The backdrop of their conversation was overshadowed by the growing tensions in their relationship.
President Biden has, on several occasions, privately voiced his frustrations regarding Netanyahu’s approach to the war in Gaza, at times using candid language, as detailed in a forthcoming book by investigative journalist Bob Woodward. Furthermore, Biden has directly expressed to Netanyahu his concerns about the apparent lack of a coherent strategy for the ongoing conflict.
However, the death of Sinwar seems to offer both leaders a chance to reclaim a narrative of victory and potentially realign their efforts. Following Sinwar’s death, President Biden reached out to Netanyahu, and their conversation was characterized by a mutual acknowledgment of the opportunity to advance negotiations aimed at freeing the hostages. According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, both leaders “agreed that there is an opportunity to advance a deal to free the hostages, and they will collaborate to achieve that goal.”
Despite this renewed focus, negotiations surrounding a cease-fire agreement that would facilitate the release of remaining hostages in Gaza have been stagnant for months, with both Israel and Hamas attributing blame to one another for the deadlock.
