Situation at a glance: USA: Ceasefire in Gaza depends on Hamas leader Sinwar

Situation at a glance: USA: Ceasefire in Gaza depends on Hamas leader Sinwar

There is great concern about an escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel. US Secretary of State Blinken issues a warning – and sees the new Hamas leader Sinwar as being in charge.

As the US pushes for a de-escalation in the conflict between Iran and Israel, the appointment of Israel’s public enemy number one as the leader of Hamas is complicating efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza war. The appointment of Jihia al-Sinwar is “another compelling reason to quickly remove him and wipe this despicable organization from the face of the earth,” wrote Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Platform X.

According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, however, whether an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza is successful depends largely on Sinwar. The previous leader of the Islamists in the Gaza Strip was Hamas’s key decision-maker on this issue even before his appointment as successor to the slain Hamas foreign chief Ismail Haniya, said Blinken. “This only underscores the fact that it is really up to him to decide whether a ceasefire will be pushed forward.”

Sinwar is considered the mastermind of the terrorist attack by Hamas and other groups in Israel on October 7, 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed and 250 others were abducted to the Gaza Strip. The unprecedented attack triggered the Gaza War.

Report: Sinwar for close coordination with Iran

By appointing Sinwar as its sole leader, Hamas is sending the message “that it is strategically behind the approach of armed resistance,” the Wall Street Journal quoted Jehad Harb, political analyst at the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, a West Bank-based think tank, as saying. This means that Hamas is moving away from the role of a political entity that wants to govern, the US newspaper wrote. Sinwar also advocates close coordination with Hamas supporter Iran, which denies Israel’s right to exist. He appears to have trumped those voices in Hamas that were skeptical of the approach.

Sinwar’s predecessor Haniya, who was killed in Tehran almost a week ago, lived in Qatar’s capital Doha and was considered Hamas’ chief diplomat. Iran and Hamas blame Israel for Haniya’s death and are threatening a harsh retaliatory strike against the Jewish state.

Blinken warns of escalation

Blinken warned in strong words against an escalation of the conflict. Everyone in the region should understand “that further attacks only increase the risk of dangerous consequences that no one can predict and no one can fully control,” said the US Secretary of State during a joint press appearance with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong and the defense ministers of both countries in the US state of Maryland.

The indirect negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza, which are being mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, have reached a “decisive moment”, Blinken said. “We firmly believe that they should be concluded very, very soon,” he said. As before, Sinwar has the power to decide whether Hamas agrees.

Report: Sinwar is counting on victory

Sinwar is believed to be hiding in one of Hamas’ tunnels under the Gaza Strip, which is sealed off by Israel. He is counting on Hamas to win by surviving as a group, wrote the Wall Street Journal. Sinwar has resisted pressure to agree to a ceasefire and a hostage agreement and has explained to the mediators that the deaths of Palestinian civilians would be to his advantage. “We have the Israelis exactly where we want them,” Sinwar told Hamas representatives who wanted to negotiate an agreement with Qatari and Egyptian representatives.

In May, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague requested an arrest warrant for Sinwar, Haniya and Sinwar’s former deputy Mohammed Deif. He accused them of crimes against humanity including “extermination” as well as murder, hostage-taking, rape and torture.

Sinwar’s former deputy, Deif, head of Hamas’ military wing, was the target of an Israeli rocket attack in July. Last week, the Israeli army declared him dead. The Israeli leadership has not yet commented on Haniya’s death in the Iranian capital Tehran.

Blinken: Nobody wants an escalation

In view of the threat of retaliatory strikes by Iran and its allies against Israel, there is great concern about an escalation throughout the region. The US is continuing to work intensively to defuse the situation and is in constant contact with partners in the region and beyond, Blinken said. “I think nobody actually wants an escalation, nobody wants an expansion of the conflict, but it is very important that it could happen, even if it is unintentional.”

At the same time, Blinken reiterated Israel’s “iron-clad” support for self-defense. The US military is also continuing to take steps to prevent an escalation by Iran and its allies, said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Austin referred to the recent attack on a military base in Iraq, in which several US soldiers were wounded. “Make no mistake: The United States will not tolerate attacks on our personnel in the region,” stressed the US Secretary of Defense. The military presence in the region has been adjusted to strengthen the protection of its own forces and to remain prepared for all conceivable scenarios. Austin also emphasized the US’s support for Israel’s defense.

Biden also mediates

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden spoke separately on the phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. The talks also covered negotiations on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, which have “now reached a final phase,” the White House said. The interlocutors agreed that this process must be completed “as quickly as possible.”

Source: Stern

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