With Ismail Haniyeh gone, Sinwar will ‘call the shots’ on a hostage deal, expert claims

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s position in the terrorist organization has now been elevated since the assassinations of Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammad Deif, US Marine Colonel, and a former deputy assistant secretary for the US State Department, Stephen Ganyard, claimed in an interview with ABC News published on Friday.

Sinwar, the 61-year-old terror leader who has evaded Israel so far, masterminded the October 7 attacks which saw over 1200 people murdered and a further 253 kidnapped. 

"The real guy that the Israelis want to get and will likely eventually get is Sinwar and he's in a tunnel likely somewhere in Gaza, still running the show within Gaza," Ganyard said.

Now that Haniyeh is gone, it is likely that the ceasefire-hostage deal, chased by the US, will be conducted by Sinwar, he explained. 

"So Sinwar is the guy," said Ganyard. "Whether one of the political operatives gets taken out, they can still do the negotiations because eventually, Sinwar is going to have to agree to whatever negotiations go on."

Peace has to be made with enemies, not friends

While he implied that the negotiations were inevitable, he added that plans for a ceasefire would be put on hold - especially now that an Iranian attack on Israel is being anticipated. 

"Who's going to eventually call the shots is Sinwar. He's the guy that's going to have to agree to any kind of peace negotiation with the Israelis," Ganyard said.