By Servet Gunerigok
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US will intensify efforts with its partners to end the Israeli war on Gaza, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said shortly after reports of the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israel.
In a statement, Blinken said Sinwar, over the past months, rebuffed efforts by the US and its allies to resolve the conflict through an agreement aimed at returning hostages and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people.
"In the days ahead, the United States will redouble its efforts with partners to end this conflict, secure the release all hostages, and chart a new path forward that will enable the people of Gaza to rebuild their lives and realize their aspirations free from war and free from the brutal grip of Hamas," Blinken said.
According to him, Hamas killed Israelis, Americans, and citizens of more than 30 countries at Sinwar's direction.
"His (Sinwar’s) decision to launch the October 7th terror attacks unleashed catastrophic consequences for the people of Gaza, who have now endured the horrors of more than a year of war. The world is a better place with him gone," said Blinken.
He said the US stands with Israel in holding accountable those responsible for Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas and ensuring such an attack can never be repeated.
In August, Sinwar became Hamas’ political chief, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president on July 31.
Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
More than 42,400 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 99,100 injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.