Killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar represents a real chance for peace

The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar – believed to have been in charge of the mass terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 last year in which some 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were taken hostage – was a violent end to a violent man. However, it represents a real chance for peace.

This was the message from both Keir Starmer and Joe Biden as they gathered with other world leaders in Berlin. “... I do think the death of Sinwar provides an opportunity for a step towards that ceasefire that we have long called for,” the Prime Minister said. Calling Sinwar’s death a “moment of justice”, the US President said he had told Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu “let's also make this moment an opportunity to seek a path to peace, a better future in Gaza without Hamas”.

Israel’s aims were to defeat Hamas militarily and free the hostages. They have killed a considerable number of its fighters and freed some hostages. However, in doing so, they have also caused tens of thousands of civilian casualties. Men, women and children who had nothing to do with Hamas have been killed.

The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli troops has increased the chance of an end to the fighting (Picture: Emmanuel Dunand) | AFP via Getty Images

Wars are easy to start, hard to end

Eventually all this death, suffering and grief will stop and Netanyahu should try to turn Sinwar’s death into a turning point. The longer the violence continues, the more metaphorically entrenched the fighting will become. Historians have long commented that wars are easy to start but much harder to end.

The situation is complicated by the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon. However, if Israel was to announce a ceasefire and suggest peace in exchange for the remaining hostages, many Gazans would take that offer. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the other groups involved in the October 7 attack may well reject it but, in doing so, they would risk making themselves more unpopular.

On the Palestinian side, there needs to be a realisation that Hamas can no longer be tolerated, given its murderous actions, if peace is to last. Israel will not sit quietly while it rebuilds its military strength in preparation for yet more bloodshed.

The Middle East needs peace and both sides need help to find the path towards it.