FLASH
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Experts fear that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) inside Gaza last week, may have sought the execution of the remaining hostages after his death.
The head of Hamas in Gaza was the main orchestrator of the tragic October 7 attacks that killed around 1,200 innocent civilians – while 250 people were taken hostage in Gaza. He topped the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) kill list for more than a year.
And fearing his death, experts claim that Sinwar, who has long rejected ceasefire agreements, may have instructed the remaining members of Hamas to continue fighting.
Also feared is that he may have advised Hamas political leaders outside Gaza to avoid any concessions during the peace talks, Arab sources familiar with the situation told The Wall Street Journal.
After Sinwar's death last week, the terrorist group rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's offer to surrender and release all hostages, a sign that they are implementing Sinwar's terrorist message.
Sources have also revealed that Sinwar's final message was to appoint a new leadership for Hamas in the event of his death.
Hussein Ibish, a senior researcher at the Gulf Arab States Institute in Washington, DC, told CNN that Hamas may now aim to wage guerrilla warfare against IDF troops and is unlikely to agree to a deal to release the hostages.
Experts also fear that Sinwar may have called for the execution of all remaining hostages inside Gaza in the event of his death.
Gershon Baskin, a senior negotiator who oversaw Sinwar's release from an Israeli prison in 2011, called his death a "moment of doom."
He told The Telegraph that "Sinwar's death is a moment of condemnation because rumors are that he instructed Hamas terrorists to kill the remaining hostages in the event of his death."
The expert said the rumors are being taken seriously given Sinwar's bloody history and his hatred for the Israeli people.
The return of the innocent hostages now depends solely on Israel's ability to either reach a hostage deal or rescue them from Gaza in heroic rescue missions.
But the latter seems unlikely since Israel has not yet been able to eradicate all Hamas terrorists within the narrow belt.
Although Israeli officials have hinted at a possible hostage deal with what remains of the last ruling Hamas officials in exchange for Sinwar's remains, sources told CNN.
An Israeli diplomatic source said that "if Hamas wants to exchange Sinwar's remains for Israelis, dead or alive, then fine... Otherwise, his handover will not happen."
A second source said Hamas supporters would be desperate to get Sinwar's body back, who would then turn his grave into a shrine to inspire future terrorists.
Israel's prime minister said this week he would allow Hamas terrorists to "get out" of Gaza and "live" if they return all remaining hostages.
But things could get worse as Hamas will inevitably choose its next successor, who may follow in Sinwar's footsteps to continue the bloody conflict and push the Middle East into an all-out war.
A new dawn for Hamas?
Muhammad Sinwar, the brother of the slain terror chief, is being seen as the next possible successor to take over the terror group.
He became the de facto second-in-command of the Hamas leadership in Gaza after the deaths of senior Hamas military commanders such as Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa.
Muhammad became a confidant of Yahya, being one of the few people who knew where the Hamas boss was hiding during the war.
Israeli officials warned that Mohammed is as hard-line as his brother and could present a major obstacle to a possible hostage deal - especially after Israel killed his brother.
Grisha Yakubovich, a former senior Israeli military official and expert on Palestinian affairs, explained how Mohammed Sinwar's rise to power poses a major risk.
He told The Sun that “Mohammed Sinwar is as radical, if not more, than Yahya Sinwar. If he takes the leadership of Hamas, the situation could worsen significantly."
Muhammad, although operating mostly behind the scenes, is said to have earned a reputation as ruthless and uncompromising.
According to Yakubovich, his leadership style could push the group into even more violent confrontations with Israel.
"He is in charge of the military wing," Yakubovich emphasized, referring to Mohammed's key role in Hamas' military operations, while adding that "he is one of the strongest players. If Yahya is killed, Muhammad can rise quickly."
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