Shalom all,

I’ve been waiting a year to write this post! A short while ago, Israel officially confirmed that Yahya Sinwar, the head of the terrorist organization Hamas, who was the mastermind behind the invasion into southern Israel and the resulting barbaric murder, rape, dismemberment and burning of 1,200 people in the communities of the Gaza Envelope, including men and women, young and old, and whose decisions determined the fate of some 250 hostages during the course of a year, was killed in a firefight in the Rafiah neighborhood of southern Gaza yesterday. 

The atrocities that took place on October 7th, which was planned by the head of Hamas and his companions of terrorism, and carried out on the Great Day of the Feast (of Tabernacles – John 7:37), Simhat Torah, the last day of the Biblical Feasts mentioned in the 23rd Chapter of the Book of Leviticus, was killed on the eve of the Feast of Tabernacles, after a year of war.

Israeli troops have been fighting in Gaza with the two-fold goal of defeating Hamas (at least eliminating its ability to be a threat to Israel) and to bring about the return of the hostages. The firefight was the kind that the IDF has engaged in against Hamas terrorists through the course of a year. It wasn’t because they the soldiers had specific information that Sinwar was there. The IDF had been searching for him since the beginning of the war last year, without success.

According to the various reports surrounding the publication of Sinwar’s death, he surfaced from his extended sojourn underground, moving from one tunnel location to another. After the firefight took place and the IDF eliminated the Hamas fighters, the soldiers involved in the firefight said that one of the dead bodies looked like Sinwar. His body was removed from the rubble and taken to an Israeli forensics facility for identification, where it was confirmed that it is Yahya Sinwar. What are the odds that the terrorist leader who began the war on the Feast of Tabernacles would be eliminated on the Feast of Tabernacles a year later? 

Eylon Levy, a former spokesperson for the Israeli government, wrote in his “X” account: “It is possible that somewhere in hell, Yahya Sinwar is sitting with the whole of Hamas’ leadership, looking up and thinking they should have released the hostages when they had the chance.”

In the last few months, the head of the Hamas politburo, Ismail Haniya, was killed in Tehran, Iran. The general secretary of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed last month in Beirut, Lebanon. And now, the head of the Hamas military wing, Yahya Sinwar, was killed in an exchange of gunfire in southern Gaza. The heads of two puppets, Hamas and Hezbollah, whose strings are being pulled by the Ayatollahs in Iran, have been eliminated. What does this mean for the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza and for the ongoing war against Hezbollah in Lebanon?

As for the Hamas terrorist organization, the big question is whether it will decide to keep fighting. If so, it will need to replace Yahya Sinwar with someone else who will be able to command respect and obedience. It has been rumored in the past that when Yahya Sinwar took over the position of Ismail Haniya, Sinwar’s brother was stepping in to replace him as the head of Hamas’s military wing. This remains to be seen.

How will his death affect the return of the hostages? It is important to note that there were no hostages in the immediate vicinity where Sinwar and other Hamas terrorists were killed in the firefight. The identities, whereabouts and fate of the hostages is still unknown.

Israel should take advantage of this major accomplishment and breakthrough in the Gaza War and press forward and apply as much pressure as possible on Hamas. If the members of Hamas had any sense, they would surrender to the IDF and bring out the hostages that are still alive and assist in the return of those bodies being held by Hamas. Without doubt, the Gaza War will continue until ALL of the hostages are returned. Israel should take advantage of this incredible opportunity for the return of the hostages.

How will Sinwar’s death affect the war with Hezbollah in the north? Hezbollah has already tried to distance itself from the war in Gaza and was willing to enter into an immediate ceasefire, without conditions (contrary to its position that it would stop firing on Israel only when the fighting in Gaza ends). Israel should not make the same mistake that it has made time and time again over the years and agree to a ceasefire without accomplishing its goals vis-a-vis the enemies who are sworn to Israel’s destruction. In the meantime, the war in the north continues, missiles, rockets and armed drones continue to be launched by Hezbollah into Israel. But, things could change tomorrow.

During the Feast of Tabernacles, we usually greet one another with the statement: Moadim l’simcha (Times of Rejoicing). Indeed, a year after the death and destruction caused by Yahya Sinwar at this time of year, we see the outworking of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those that bless you and curse those who curse you”. The negative part of that promise is usually carried out by payment in kind. In this instance, after planning to kill Israelis, he, himself, was also killed by Israel…on the same holiday! Truly, an eye for an eye….

Being blessed, it is a time to continue to bless and be a blessing.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be making a public announcement later this evening. More to follow.

Marvin