Israel confirmed the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during a battle in Gaza, much to the surprise of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris who had tried to prevent Israeli operations from locating him. Despite their efforts, Israeli soldiers found and killed Sinwar as detailed below.
1. The killing took place in Rafah, a town in southern Gaza near the Egyptian border. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had planned to enter Rafah in February, stating that Hamas’ leaders and Israeli hostages were there. However, both Biden and Harris opposed these plans, with the latter warning of “consequences” for Israel, including an arms embargo. Despite their objections, Netanyahu proceeded with his plan in May, resulting in few civilian casualties.
2. Sinwar’s body was found near the Philadelphi Corridor, a road along the border that was the first thing Israeli soldiers seized when entering Gaza. The Biden-Harris administration had pressured Israel to give up control of the corridor during ceasefire talks; however, Israel refused, emphasizing the importance of the corridor in preventing weapons from flowing in and Hamas leaders from escaping. Notably, Sinwar’s body was found with cash and passports, suggesting he was attempting to flee across the corridor.
3. Despite threats of an arms embargo, the Biden administration pushed forward with its plan for an Israeli ceasefire in exchange for increased humanitarian aid. The administration provided Israel with 30 days to scale back its military operations and increase aid delivery.
4. The Biden-Harris administration also called for a unilateral ceasefire as part of their temporary hostage deal, intending for it to become permanent.
5. In an attempt to entice Israel into agreeing to the ceasefire with unfavorable conditions, the Biden-Harris administration promised to provide information on Hamas leaders’ locations in exchange for a ceasefire. The intention was to end the war while offering Israel the opportunity for targeted strikes against Hamas leaders; however, Sinwar was killed during an ordinary battle rather than a targeted operation.
The situation is reminiscent of Biden’s contradictory position on the U.S. operation that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011. At the time, he opposed the operation for its perceived political risks. However, once it was successful, both he and then-President Barack Obama campaigned on it for re-election.
In a statement, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan acknowledged the role of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Sinwar’s death.