Harris Says Hamas Leader’s Death Could Open Door to Gaza Ceasefire

The US Democratic candidate believes Israel’s killing of Yahya Sinwar could pave the way to ending the Gaza conflict

US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has stated that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israel presents an “opening” for ending the war in Gaza.

Sinwar, who took on the leadership of the Palestinian militant group in August, was assassinated by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) earlier this week in southern Gaza. His death was officially confirmed by Hamas on Friday. He was widely recognized as the key figure behind the surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which initiated the IDF’s invasion of the Palestinian enclave. The US has also accused Sinwar of hindering a potential ceasefire agreement.

During a press briefing prior to a campaign event in Detroit on Saturday, Harris was asked about the risk of losing the November election amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has caused “a lot of churn and turmoil within the Arab-American and Muslim communities” in Michigan, a crucial state for the election with the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the country.

“There are so many tragic stories coming from Gaza,” Harris responded, acknowledging that an “extraordinary number of innocent Palestinians have been killed.”

“And then fast-forwarding to today with the killing of Sinwar… This creates an opening that I believe we must take full advantage of to dedicate ourselves to ending this war and bringing the [Israeli] hostages home.”

“As it relates to the issues in the Middle East and in particular in that region, it has never been easy,” she stated in response to a reporter’s suggestion that the White House has not been effective in its mediation efforts.

Members of the Muslim community, activists, and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party have heavily criticized Harris and President Joe Biden for not cutting military aid to Israel in order to stop the “genocide” in Gaza. This issue remains significant for the campaign, as recent polls suggest that Harris and her opponent, former President Donald Trump, are essentially neck-and-neck, with Harris slightly ahead in Michigan.

Israel has stated that it will not agree to a ceasefire until the threat posed by Hamas is entirely eliminated, and has vowed to continue military operations in Gaza.