ALBAWABA - Israeli scholars and former officials agree that Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar's killing marked a turning point in the conflict. One analyst advised Israel to concentrate on prisoner swap negotiations rather than celebrating this occurrence.
After Sinwar's killing, veteran Shin Bet security chief Dvir Krep advised Israel to use the circumstances to negotiate a prisoner exchange while Hamas and Hezbollah are weak.
Due to Hamas' lack of leadership, retired Major General Eitan Dangot, who led Israeli operations in the West Bank, warned of a Gaza chaotic escalation.
According to Israeli sources, Sinwar was the architect behind the recent "Al-Aqsa Flood" attacks against Israeli settlements. He was slain on Wednesday in the Tel Sultan district of Rafah, southern Gaza.
The Israeli military published photos of Sinwar armed and in military gear tossing an item at a drone before being hit by artillery.
Hanan Givon, former leader of Israel's Unit 8200, praised Sinwar for deceiving Israeli soldiers and keeping the October 7, 2023, strikes secret.
Israeli military officials called Sinwar's killing "the worst day in Israel's history," saying it was a turning point in the year-long battle affecting Gazans and Israeli captives.
Hamas's Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades attacked military outposts and settlements surrounding Gaza on October 7, 2023, killing hundreds of Israeli troops and capturing at least 240. Over 100 captives were freed during a November humanitarian ceasefire.
The buildup of a new conflict in Lebanon and the threat of a third intifada might lead to unrest, according to geopolitical researcher Einat Hochberg Merom.
Channel 13 political expert Gil Tamari warned that Hamas will thrive ideologically without a moderate, secular alternative.
The brother of an Israeli prisoner called the situation a "golden opportunity," demanding swift action to free all detainees. He cautioned that inaction might leave 101 people in Gaza unaccounted for.
Abu Ubaida, an al-Qassam Brigades spokesman, has frequently warned that Israeli prisoners in Gaza may face circumstances like Ron Arad, an Israeli pilot missing since 1986.
