US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the newly chosen Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, has the power to ensure that a ceasefire deal is reached for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Sinwar “has been and remains the primary decider when it comes to concluding the ceasefire, and so I think this (today’s announcement) only underscores the fact that it’s really on him to decide whether to move forward with a ceasefire that manifestly will help so many Palestinians in desperate need, women, children, men who are caught in a crossfire,” Blinken said. "It really is on him.”
The Palestinian group on Tuesday chose Sinwar, its top official in Gaza who masterminded the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, after political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed July 31 in Iran by a presumed Israeli strike.
Regional tensions have soared after Haniyeh's killing, which Iran blamed on Israel, and retaliation has been expected. Concerns are also high after Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon last week.
Amid diplomatic efforts, US President Joe Biden spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday about their hopes for a ceasefire deal calming tensions in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet over the weekend that Israel is already in a “multi-front war” with Iran and its proxies.
Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis with Israeli restrictions on aid and ongoing fighting limiting access to crucial medical, food and other supplies. The Health Ministry says the death toll in the territory is nearing 40,000.
