‘The circle is closed, but the mission is not over’: Gantz
Opposition leader and former Defence Minister Benny Gantz, chairman of Israel’s National Unity alliance, has congratulated the Israeli military following the claim that Sinwar has been killed.
“This is an important achievement with a clear message – we will pursue our enemies to the end, anytime and anywhere,” he wrote on X.
He said the Israeli military “will continue to operate in the Gaza Strip for years to come, and now the series of achievements and the elimination of Sinwar must be taken advantage of to bring about the return of the abductees and the replacement of Hamas’s rule”.
War is not over, Netanyahu says
The Israeli prime minister says the war is not over and that in Gaza, Beirut and the region, “light is prevailing over darkness,” according to translated remarks.
The Israeli prime minister, for whom the ICC’s prosecutor has requested an arrest warrant over alleged war crimes, also said in his televised address:
- Sinwar was eliminated, but the mission is not over yet, and we must recover the kidnapped.
- We have dealt a blow to evil, but the mission is not yet complete.
- To those holding the kidnapped, we say: Free them, and we will let you live.
- Hamas will no longer rule Gaza.
President says Israel must now act ‘in every way possible’ to bring back captives
Isaac Herzog has commended Israeli forces “for eliminating” Sinwar, who he called the “mastermind” of the October 7, 2023, attacks.
“Now, more than ever, we must act in every way possible to bring back the 101 hostages who are still being held in horrific conditions by Hamas terrorists in Gaza,” the Israeli president said in a statement.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also hailed Israeli soldiers and said Israel was going to continue to “pursue and eliminate” its enemies.
Like Netanyahu, Gallant is also included in the ICC’s prosecutor request for an arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
