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What Yayha Sinwar's Death Revealed about Hamas's Waning Capabilities

(Newsweek) John Spencer - Last week, Israeli forces eliminated the leader of Hamas and the mastermind of the Oct. 7 massacre, Yayha Sinwar. The atrocities of Oct. 7 caused deep psychological trauma for Jews, along with a loss of personal security that will be felt for a long time. The closure Sinwar's death provides Israel's population is important for their moving forward and healing as a nation. The details of Sinwar's death tell us a lot about the state of Hamas. Much like when U.S. forces discovered Saddam Hussein cowering in a hole, the myth about Sinwar has been busted. He was not found looking defiant and capable, surrounded by an elite bodyguard force in one of the luxury bunkers in Gaza. Sinwar was killed looking desperate, dirty, and disheveled, living in fear, running from tunnel to tunnel, rubbled house to rubbled house, with only a couple of other men, in a district he had hidden in because the world told the IDF they could not go there. He was not commanding a military force with any capability. He oversaw nothing. Hamas is clearly broken. It clearly is operating without leadership, on autopilot and functioning as separate, disconnected guerrilla gangs. Fanatical members of Hamas may still believe they can survive and one day win the war against Israel. But peace only ultimately comes if Hamas is prevented from regaining political or military power in Gaza. This could be the beginning of the end, though a lot still must happen. If Hamas refuses to let the remaining 101 hostages go, the war will continue. If Hamas still has the guns and coercive power to include primary control of humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza, the war will continue. If Hamas believes they can survive as a political or military power in Gaza, the war will continue. Wars are won when the enemy loses the means and will to continue fighting. There will be no cease in the violence without the full military and political defeat of Hamas. But the death of Yayha Sinwar is a major moment that signals to Hamas, Israelis, and Gazans that there could be paths to end the war. The writer is chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point.
2024-10-22 00:00:00
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