Kamala Harris has celebrated the demise of Yahya Sinwar as a chance to finally conclude hostilities in Gaza and ready for "the day after" when influence from Hamas wanes within that territory.
The US vice-president, vying against Donald Trump in Michigan's key battleground state with significant Arab-American voters who lean towards the Palestinian cause, also urged an end to ongoing conflict which has claimed over 42,000 lives and wrought havoc across Gaza.
"Justice is served," Harris stated regarding Sinwar's death; she believes that this act benefits not just America but global wellbeing too. "Hamas leadership crumbles along with its figurehead—Sinwar." She expressed hope for an opportune moment to cease the violence in Gaza, advocating simultaneously robust security arrangements and relief efforts alongside freedom of movement within Israel while Palestinians are accorded their rights towards dignity, safety, sovereignty.
Her sentiments resonated with Joe Biden's remarks who faced criticism from some progressive factions for his staunch backing of Israeli interests even as Netanyahu declined to heed calls minimizing civilian casualties and alleviating humanitarian distress in Gaza. "Israel had every justification—and rightly so —to take down the top echelon, including Sinwar," Biden responded defending his backing for Israel while addressing these criticisms head-on.
He acknowledged that barriers to a prosperous future have been removed but cautioned there is still substantial work ahead of them—a sentiment echoed in White House's statement about their discussion on leveraging this moment towards hostage return and conflict resolution with Gazan people’s freedom from Hamas control.
Netanyahu, however, suggested the war was far from over during his televised address later that evening after Harris made her comments—a notion furthered by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who accused Sinwar as an "unapologetic terrorist" and blamed him for obstructing multiple attempts to end this conflict.
In the same vein, Congress's Republican leader Mike Johnson described a life like that of Sinwar’s—a representation of malevolence characterized by hatred towards all goodness in existence —brought hope not only for those desiring liberty but also relief from oppression to Israelis he targeted.
Similarly, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer voiced optimism about this event leading the way toward hostilities' end ensuring Israeli safety and promoting full humanitarian assistance while providing a new direction for Gaza’s residents as expressed by David Petraeus—former CIA chief who noted Sinwar was not only symbolically significant but also operationally crucial given his role in Hamas.
European leaders, including former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron showed their dissatisfaction with the situation as well: condemning acts of terrorism perpetrated by Sinwar on 7th October—one described metaphorically as 'the most devastating day in Jewish history since Holocaust' —and calling for immediate release or return home to all hostages held captive.
Likewise, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni echoed these sentiments and urged the beginning of a new phase: an endgame that demands Hamas lay down its arms while advocating ceasefire proclamation alongside reconstruction in Gaza as shared by Annalena Baerbock Germany's foreign minister.
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