(Adds reactions from U.S., Canada, Italy)
JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) – Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Gaza war, was killed on Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said.
Following is international reaction:
U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
Sinwar’s death provides the opportunity for a “day after” in Gaza without the militant group in power. “Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains before us.”
CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU
“Yahya Sinwar, the brutal leader of the terrorist organization Hamas, has been eliminated by the IDF. Under Sinwar’s leadership, Hamas carried out the horrific atrocities of October 7, sought to destroy Israel, and launched senseless, devastating terror attacks on civilians across the region. Today delivers a measure of justice for his victims and their families. Sinwar’s death ends a reign of terror.”
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON
“Yahya Sinwar was the main person responsible for the terrorist attacks and barbaric acts of October 7th. Today, I think with emotion of the victims, including 48 of our compatriots, and their loved ones. France demands the release of all hostages still held by Hamas.”
GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANNALENA BAERBOCK
“Sinwar was a brutal murderer and terrorist, who wanted to destroy Israel and its people. As the mastermind of the terror on Oct. 7 he brought death to thousands of people and immeasurable suffering to a whole region. Hamas must now release all hostages and lay down its weapons, the suffering of the people in Gaza must finally end.”
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI
“With the death of Yahya Sinwar comes the demise of the main perpetrator of the October 7, 2023 massacre.
“My belief is that a new phase must now begin: It is time for all hostages to be released, for an immediate ceasefire to be proclaimed, and for reconstruction to begin in Gaza. We will continue to vigorously support every effort in this direction and for the resumption of a serious and credible political process leading to the two-state solution.”
UK DEFENCE SECRETARY JOHN HEALEY
“I, for one, will not mourn the death of a terror leader like Sinwar, someone who was responsible for the terror attack on October the 7th, and I’m conscious like the UK Government is that that triggered not just the darkest, deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Second World War, but it’s triggered since more than a year of conflict and an intolerable level of civilian Palestinian casualties as well.”
CHICK SCHUMER, DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY LEADER OF U.S. SENATE
“Sinwar in his beliefs and actions have caused so much pain to the Israeli and Palestinian people; and I pray that his elimination from the scene will clear a path to urgently and immediately bring home all the hostages – including the 7 Americans – and negotiate an end to hostilities that will ensure the security of the Israeli people and provide full humanitarian relief and a new path forward for the people of Gaza.”
MIKE JOHNSON, REPUBLICAN LEADER OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
“With the bloodthirsty leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah now gone, the Biden-Harris Administration must now work in tandem with Israel to apply a maximum pressure campaign against the head of the snake: Iran.
“Despite the Biden-Harris Administration condemning his strategies, Prime Minister Netanyahu has produced multiple watershed victories for Israel such that we are on the precipice of a new day of security and freedom in the Middle East. We cannot let this moment go to waste.”
ISRAEL’S U.N. AMBASSADOR DANNY DANON
“Our IDF forces eliminated Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and chief architect of the October 7th massacre. Yesterday at the U.N. Security Council, many asked why we are still in Gaza a year after the October 7th atrocities. Today they got the answer. No terrorist is immune to the long arm of the IDF. We will not stop until we bring home all of our hostages and eliminate the Hamas monsters.”
(Reporting by Reuters bureaus)
