Israel Faces Renewed Calls To Secure Hostage Deal After Sinwar Assassination

The Biden administration and families of remaining captives urged Benjamin Netanyahu to revive talks for a deal after taking down the Hamas leader.

The Israeli government is facing renewed pressure from the Biden administration and families of the remaining captives in Gaza to finally secure a long-awaited hostage deal, after the military confirmed Thursday that soldiers assassinated Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

The Israeli military confirmed Sinwar’s death after soldiers said they found a similar-looking body in rubble following a Wednesday battle in Rafah with Palestinian militants. Foreign Minister Israel Katz called Sinwar’s killing a “military and moral achievement for the Israeli army,” while Hamas has not yet commented on the development.

Sinwar has been a major target for Israel and its biggest ally, the United States, after the leader helped orchestrate the attack on southern Israel more than a year ago that killed about 1,200 people and captured around 250. There are an estimated 101 hostages that remain in captivity, including seven Americans.

“This is a good day for Israel, for the United States and for the world,” President Joe Biden said in a statement on Thursday that included praise for the U.S. intelligence community’s assistance in helping Israel track down Hamas leaders.

Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called on the Israeli government to now prioritize bringing home the remaining hostages, about a third of whom are already presumed dead. The Israeli military maintained there were no hostages in the area where soldiers found Sinwar.