Will Sinwar’s death end the destruction?

Global observers remain divided on the significance of Benjamin Netanyahu’s war Cabinet’s “achievement” in killing Yahya Sinwar — whether by design or by chance. However, there is broad consensus that eliminating Gaza’s undisputed powerbroker has opened new possibilities, particularly for accelerating a ceasefire deal that could free the remaining hostages.
World leaders have rushed to promote this moment as an opportunity for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Yet has Netanyahu’s government, which has exceeded all international norms in its brutality, shown any positive response to such optimistic overtures? The evidence suggests otherwise, as several factors reinforce Netanyahu’s emboldened stance, including the triumphant elimination of several Hamas leaders and claims of breaching the “Gaza support front” in Lebanon by taking out its founder Hassan Nasrallah alongside prominent Iranian Brig. Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan.
These developments have seemingly convinced Netanyahu’s war Cabinet that their aggressive approach is justified and victory attainable across all fronts. The timing is also significant: with the Biden administration’s days numbered, Netanyahu appears unlikely to heed any US counsel during this period. Meanwhile, most world leaders, including Israel’s traditional allies, find themselves unable to ignore the shocking realities unfolding in Gaza, the Occupied Territories and Lebanon. Their populations have gained unprecedented insight into the Palestinian-Israeli conflict over the past year.

World leaders have rushed to promote this moment as an opportunity for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Bakir Oweida

While some supporters of Hamas and Islamic Jihad attribute this global shift to Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, such analysis reflects wishful thinking. The international outcry, particularly among younger generations standing with Palestinians, represents a natural response in our transformed world — a reality that neither Netanyahu’s hostility nor his extremist faction’s arrogance anticipated. Their actions have effectively undermined decades of Israeli false narrative-building.
With Sinwar’s death — after objectively confounding Israel (a historical assessment independent of personal views about the man, while acknowledging Gaza’s heavy toll) — a crucial question emerges: Does eliminating this defiant figure truly create an opening to halt Gaza’s destruction and the decimation of its people through death, displacement, starvation and demolition? Could this moment mark the beginning of rebuilding both the human spirit and Gaza’s physical infrastructure?
Expecting a positive response from Netanyahu’s government would be naive. The onus now falls on international power centers to demonstrate their ability to impose their will through diplomatic influence, as they have done previously in various global contexts.

• Bakir Oweida is a Palestinian journalist who pursued a professional career in journalism in Libya in 1968, where he worked at Al-Haqiqa newspaper in Benghazi, then Al-Balagh and Al-Jihad in Tripoli. He has written for several Arab publications in Britain since 1978. He worked at Al-Arab newspaper, Al-Thadamun magazine and the international Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. He has also worked as a consultant at the online newspaper Elaph. This article first appeared in Asharq Al-Awsat.