Since the horrific Oct. 7 massacre that killed thousands and saw hundreds of innocent civilians dragged to Gaza as hostages, Israel remains under constant attack. The world’s only Jewish state is forced to engage with enemies on seven fronts and is still under daily bombardment with rockets and drones being fired from all directions. Compelled to respond to unprovoked attacks on its borders, Israel has strategically targeted and eliminated Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist leaders and fighters.
Israel’s goals in this defensive war have been removing key leadership, destroying terror infrastructures, disarming fighters and bringing the hostages home. While Hamas launched the war from the Gaza Strip, the next day, Oct. 8, Hezbollah started firing rockets and launching drone attacks on northern Israel, displacing 60,000 Israelis. Israel now must secure the nation’s borders and so citizens can safely return to their homes. Other militant groups—from the Houthis in Yemen to the sponsor of all terror in the region, Iran, have also attacked Israel.
The recent assassinations of terror warlords—Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah political leader Hassan Nasrallah—in addition to the elimination of the top tiers of both terror groups’ leaders remain paramount war achievements. A critical milestone in Israel’s fight for survival has finally been reached: After a year-long manhunt, Israel has eliminated the chief architect of the brutal Oct. 7 massacre, Hamas senior leader Yahya Sinwar.
Israel intelligence placed Sinwar somewhere in the southern area of Gaza known as Rafah. After a fierce gun battle and tank attack, Sinwar was discovered wounded in an empty building. At the time of his death, Mentos mints, 40,000 shekels, an AK-47, a lighter and an employee ID from the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) were found on him. He was also wearing a grenade-stocked vest.
Sinwar, along with his family, retreated into an underground Gaza tunnel the night before the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel to stay in upscale accommodations that were set up for a long stay. According to recently released IDF footage, in addition to a fully stocked kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large TV, a safe containing millions of both Israeli shekels and U.S. dollars was found abandoned in haste when it became known that the IDF was approaching. Fleeing for her life, Sinwar’s wife was seen in escape footage carrying a $32,000 Birkin designer handbag. Sinwar operated in complete secrecy underground by constantly moving locations and exclusively using non-digital forms of communication like hand-delivering messages through trusted couriers. Hiding underground for a year, Sinwar had not been seen in public since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
Who was Yahya Sinwar?
- Arch terrorist and criminal mastermind
- Architect of the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel
- Sworn enemy of Israel; committed to its eradication
- Designated a global terrorist by the U.S. Department of State and the European Union in 2015
After a 22-year Israeli prison sentence on murder charges, Sinwar was released in a prisoner exchange for more than 1,000 terrorists, with Sinwar at the top of the list, for a single kidnapped Israeli soldier in October 2011. Sinwar carefully studied his enemy while behind bars and became fluent in Hebrew. He was a feared terrorist warlord and ruthless enforcer responsible for punishing Palestinians in Gaza suspected of spying for Israel. His brutal tactics earned him the nickname “Butcher of Khan Younis.” He once bragged about forcing a Palestinian man suspected of spying for Israel to bury his own brother alive.
Sinwar eventually climbed to the top ranks of Hamas and became a revered leader who held strong ties with Iran and was a defiant, explosive-tempered architect of strategy and military power. Revealing his complete disregard for the value of Gaza civilian lives, Sinwar’s dentist once asked him: “Tell me, is it worth 10,000 innocent people [in Gaza] to die in order to free 100 [Hamas] prisoners,” Sinwar’s reply was unequivocal, “even 100,000 is worth it.” Sinwar was a fearsome enemy. He maintained allegiance to the guiding principles of Hamas: the destruction of Israel, the killing of all Jews and the establishment of Islamic law.
Gaza civilians hold mixed feelings about the killing of their leader. Many remain proud of the Hamas chief and revere him in death. A father of two in Gaza proudly declared that he will show it daily to his children and grandchildren and beamed: “This is how heroes die.” Others scorn Sinwar and are relieved he is dead. “I can’t hide my anger at Yahya Sinwar for the scourge of war he brought upon us,” one Gazan told Al-Monitor. “We are stuck in this war that has no end in sight, and whenever things escalate, it is because of leaders who do not think about our future or the fate of future generations.”
With the announcement of Sinwar’s killing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared: “The score has been settled and evil has been dealt a blow.” He also said: “Those holding hostages will be spared if they release them, lay down their arms; war can end tomorrow.”
The IDF’s chief spokesperson called Sinwar a murderer “who proved to the whole world that Hamas is worse than ISIS,” referring to the Islamic State group.
U.S. President Joe Biden, hearing of Sinwar’s death, announced: “This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world.” He also commended the IDF for “its excellent operation.”
After being an immovable obstacle in every hostage deal negotiation, the elimination of Yahya Sinwar has been widely lauded by both individuals and organizations, like the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee, among others. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked that “Sinwar rebuffed efforts by the U.S. and its partners to end the war.”
A new phase of the war
The death of Sinwar ushers in a new phase of the long war, one still riddled with unknowns. With an escalation in the north and daily Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon, terrorist infiltrations from Jordan, rockets from Yemen and Iraq, ongoing battles with Hamas in Gaza and now two separate Iran ballistic missile barrages from the “head of the snake,” Israel remains in the regional crosshairs of hate. Hezbollah has warned of an ‘escalatory phase’ of its war with Israel using precision-guided missiles. Hamas has threatened a “flood” of suicide bombings – claiming a “flood of martyrdom operations” will drown Israel. Iran vowed the “Axis of Resistance will continue.”
The international community, through the U.N. Security Council, has repeatedly demanded for Hezbollah to disarm. U.N. Resolution 1701 which called for a zone in Southern Lebanon that is free of armed personnel besides the army of Lebanon was completely ignored by Hezbollah. It set up camp in that zone and has proudly waved Hezbollah flags along the border, claiming its territory. Hezbollah also ignored the 2004 U.N. Resolution 1559 and the Lebanese Taif Agreement that called for disbanding and disarming all militias. Hezbollah’s aggressive actions openly demonstrate that the terrorist organization has no intention of laying down its arms. In recent weeks, Israel has assassinated Hassan Nasrallah—Hezbollah’s most important leader—eliminated three tiers of Hezbollah’s leadership and dismantled its military command while destroying much of its firepower.
Iran—the regime that trains, funds and supplies weapons to its Middle East terrorist factions—fired its second barrage of nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on Oct. 1. This follows a direct attack in April when Iran launched 170 drones, some 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles at the Jewish state. Israel developed plans for a counterattack against Iran which were shared with the Pentagon and then allegedly leaked and found on social media. Washington is investigating the leak of these highly classified documents during a profoundly sensitive moment in Israel-U.S. relations.
With Israel facing a potential shortage of interceptor missiles amid Iran threats, the U.S. initiated a $5.2 billion aid package to strengthen Israel’s air defenses and sent the THAAD missile defense system which recently arrived and is “in place.” Israel’s response to Iran’s Oct. 1 barrage is expected soon. The additional U.S. defense system is intended to help Israel defend itself from Iran’s retaliation. The United States also launched an airstrike on Houthi targets in Yemen with B-2 bombers in an apparent message to Iran.
Hezbollah’s sophisticated, military drones from Iran have emerged as new, dangerous aerial threats to Israel. A drone launched by Hezbollah struck Netanyahu’s private home in Caesarea, in central Israel, in a failed assassination attempt the Israeli prime minister called “a bitter mistake” that would not deter him.
Israel’s enemies have only stepped up attacks as Hezbollah fired a salvo of more than 200 rockets at the north over the weekend following Sinwar’s death. The Israel Defense Forces found state-of-the-art Russian arms in Hezbollah bases and after targeting financial command centers in Beirut, discovered a stockpile of $500 million in gold and cash held in a hospital basement to fund Hezbollah’s terror activities. Meanwhile, multiple terrorists disguised as army personnel crossed into Israel from Jordan and opened fire at a Jewish town near the Dead Sea.
Points to consider:
- Sinwar elimination is a key milestone, not the finish line.
Israel is in a defensive war for its survival and existence—a war it did not start. Israel’s enemies are still attacking, still firing rockets, still launching drones and still claiming responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. When its enemies stop seeking its destruction, Israel no longer has a need to defend itself. The profound hatred that drives Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis and other terrorist factions in the unified goal of destroying the State of Israel and its people are deeply embedded in the terror network’s ideology. Israel must always remain on high alert to defend its citizens against attack. Eliminating terrorist regimes is part of Israel’s strategy but not its solitary goal. There are still 101 hostages in Gaza, with half presumed alive, and more than 60,000 displaced Israelis from their homes. Israel’s work to repair the damage of Oct.7 is far from finished.
- Israel must disarm and immobilize the military capabilities of its enemies to buy years of peace.
Israel is fighting a just war, not of its creation, but rather of self-defense against the tyranny of terrorist regimes that surround the small Jewish state from all sides. Israel does not want to be at war. The country is exhausted and wars are costly. Parents are burying their young soldiers. Women are raising children alone and facing the daily “when will Abba come home?” question through tears. Jewish children are being born days after their fathers, who they will never know, were killed on the battlefield. Israel’s enemies are tireless in their resolve to destroy the state of Israel and every Jew in it. The defensive battles being waged dismantle terrorist infrastructures and disarm enemies by depleting their missile reserves and taking out their leadership. Israeli leadership does not want its enemies to rearm, restructure, establish new leaders and develop more complex strategies for surprise attacks against the Jewish state. Without disarming its enemies, Israel would inadvertently allow the stage to be set for another Oct. 7.
- Israel faces what no other country would be expected to endure.
America wouldn’t allow Canada or Mexico to rain a barrage of thousands of rockets on its citizens every day. The United Kingdom would never passively sit back and let Ireland or France burst through its borders and rape, kill or kidnap its citizens. Israel is around the size of the U.S. state of New Jersey, and has faced these and other atrocities not only since Oct. 7 but ever since it declared independence in May 1948 and achieved statehood. No other nation faces what Israel wakes up to on a daily basis. It would never be expected that America, the United Kingdom or any other nation should tolerate attacks on its soil or the massacre, rape and kidnapping of its citizens. It likewise should never be expected that Israel would tolerate another attack on its citizens.
- Until Israel’s enemies stop attacking, it won’t stop defending itself.
To enjoy lasting peace, Israel’s enemies must lay down their arms and denounce their sworn commitment to Israel’s destruction and the death of all Jews, as stated in the Hamas charter. These terror entities will stop at nothing, even sacrificing their own people, to accomplish that single goal. The question “why is Israel still fighting?” is the wrong question. That falsely suggests that Israel possesses no right to self-defense. The right questions to ask: “Why do Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan and Syria continue to launch attacks against Israel? Why are they still fighting?” Until these factions stop trying to destroy the Jewish state, Israel is locked in a defensive battle for survival. Until Palestinians are “willing to live next to a Jewish state, rather than instead of it,” Israel must continue to take the steps necessary to protect its sovereignty in its ancient homeland.
Simchat Torah 2024: With tears in our eyes, we will dance
This year, Jews celebrating the traditionally joyous holiday of Simchat Torah also are struggling with how to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
Simchat Torah occurs at the end of the Sukkot, a week-long Jewish holiday. This year, many Israelis are adorning the walls of their sukkah with reminders of the hostages and memorials of fallen soldiers. Sukkot has become “another holiday without them.”
No Israeli can forget the 101 hostages still being held in Gaza, more than one year after terrorists rampaged through Israeli villages and the Nova Music Festival.