Hamas confirms leader Sinwar’s death, as Hezbollah vows new phase of war

A top political leader of Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya, has confirmed the death of the group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar.

Mr al-Hayyaa, in a televised statement, reiterated the Palestinian militant group’s stance that it will not release Israeli hostages captured in the group’s October 7 2023 attack on Israel until there is a ceasefire in the yearlong war in Gaza.

“Those prisoners will not return to you before the end of the aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal from Gaza,” he said.

It came after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah vowed on Friday to launch a new phase of fighting against Israel, a day after Israel said its forces in Gaza had killed Mr Sinwar, believed to be the chief architect of last year’s deadly attack on Israel that sparked the multifront war.