Tel Aviv, Israel

Amid reports of the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in the recent attack in Gaza, the Hostage Families Forum called on the Israeli government to leverage Sinwar's likely killing to secure an immediate hostage deal. 

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The Forum appreciated the "achievement" and expressed concerns for the 101 hostages that have been held captive by Hamas in Gaza. 

“Along with the appreciation for the significant achievement [of Sinwar’s apparent killing], the families of the hostages express grave concern for the fate of the 101 hostages who are still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza and demand that [the government] leverage the military achievement to secure an immediate deal to bring about their return,” the Forum said in a statement. 

“The elimination of Sinwar is an important milestone on the way to the real victory, which will only be achieved with the return of the 101 abductees,” the statement added. 

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They stressed that for over a year now, the Israeli government has not been able to leverage the unprecedented security achievements in the fighting in Gaza to bring the hostages back. 

Also read: Hamas chief dead? IDF probing if Sinwar killed in Gaza military op; DNA test underway

The families called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to instruct his hostage negotiation team to secure an immediate deal to free their loved ones.

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“There is and will not be a total victory without the release of all 101 abductees,” they added. 

Israeli PM instructs aides to inform hostage families about Sinwar's death

Netanyahu has instructed his aides to inform the families of hostages that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is dead, Channel 12 reported, without citing any sources.

Watch | BREAKING: Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar Killed Say Reports, IDF 'Checking' DNA Of Body

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Sinwar was hiding with six hostages

The Hamas chief had been hiding with the six hostages who were recovered by the IDF on August 31 after being executed by their captors, Channel 12 reported, without citing a source. 

It further speculated that this is why Sinwar was no longer with any hostages when he was apparently killed. 

Hamas warns against 'fake news' amid Sinwar's alleged killing

Hamas group issued a statement, warning against fake news and said that official statements from the terror group are only released on its Telegram channel or website. 

However, the group did not say anything about Hamas leader Sinwar's killing. 

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)