Tel Aviv

Israel's President Isaac Herzog on Thursday called for swift action to bring back hostages held in Gaza, as he hailed the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces.

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Herzog on social media platform X said the slain Hamas chief was the mastermind of the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the ongoing war and "has for years been responsible for heinous acts of terrorism against Israeli civilians", also calling on Israeli leaders to "act in every way possible to bring back" the remaining hostages.

"His evil endeavours were dedicated to terror, bloodshed, and destabilizing the Middle East. "Now, more than ever, we must act in every way possible to bring back the 101 hostages who are still being held in horrific conditions by Hamas terrorists in Gaza," he said in a post. 

Yahya Sinwar killed after year-long pursuit: IDF

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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a statement saying Sinwar was killed by its troops in an operation in the south of Gaza yesterday after a "year-long pursuit".

It comes after Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz told his counterparts around the world that Sinwar was killed today. The reason for the discrepancy is not clear.

In a statement, the IDF says Sinwar planned and executed the 7 October attack and was "responsible for the murder and abduction of many Israelis".

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"Yahya Sinwar was eliminated after hiding for the past year behind the civilian population of Gaza, both above and below ground in Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip," it says.

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