White House: Sinwar Elimination Opportunity for Ceasefire, Hostage Deal

U.S. President Joe Biden described the Thursday killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as presenting a new opportunity to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of the Israeli detainees held in the coastal enclave.

“Now’s the time to move on. … Move toward a cease-fire in Gaza; make sure that we move in a direction that we’re able to make things better for the whole world,” Biden told reporters as he arrived in Berlin for an official visit to Germany. “It’s time for this war to end and bring these hostages home. That’s what we’re ready to do.”

The president’s comments followed a phone call on Air Force One with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which Biden reportedly congratulated him on the successful elimination of the dangerous mastermind behind the October 7 massacre.

The Biden administration has been highly critical of Sinwar, blaming him for a prolonged initiative to block armistice deliberations in the region and accusing the 61-year-old Islamist of preferring to continue fighting against the IDF.

Biden’s views were echoed by other White House officials, including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who referred to the terror commander as a “massive obstacle to peace,” while State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller characterized Sinwar as the "chief obstacle" to the mediation process during a press briefing.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has been active in the settlement talks, declared in a statement that Sinwar “rebuffed efforts by the United States and its partners to bring this war to a close through an agreement that would return the hostages to their families and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.”