Was slain Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar really the main obstacle to peace? As the United States presented him! But analysts say otherwise.

According to them, the death of the Hamas leader will not have much impact on the peace talks. Because his death will not change the purpose of Israel.

US officials, however, said Sinwar's death could reignite peace talks. However, according to experts, Israel's mindset to continue military operations in Gaza has not changed.

Yahya Sinwar primarily directed Hamas's military strategy from inside Gaza. He was seen as a hardliner. Analysts say that the main problem on the way to peace is not Sinwar, but the policy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the main obstacle on the way to peace. Netanyahu has continued to escalate tensions, assassinate key figures and deepen the conflict. As a result, peace efforts have been hampered.

Khaled Elgindi of the Middle East Institute said Sinwar's death did not address the root causes of the problem, particularly Israeli activity.

Despite the US government's push for peace in the Middle East, reaching out to key regional powers such as Qatar and Egypt, a peace deal seems far off. Hopes the Biden administration had expressed last week about the possibility of reviving talks have now faded.

Biden said on Friday that establishing a ceasefire in Gaza could be "harder" than ending the war between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel.

So the situation in Gaza is unlikely to change even after the death of Sinwar, who was seen as an obstacle to peace.

Analysts believe that Israel's leaders, especially Prime Minister Netanyahu, are the main cause of the conflict. Because, even after the killing of Sinwar, Israel continues its military operations and they are not willing to accept a ceasefire, which is out of their strategic interests.

Israel's objective:

Israel's larger goal is not just to eliminate Sinwar or any particular Hamas leader. Their military actions and political tactics, such as creating a buffer zone around Gaza and taking control of key corridors, are evidence of Israel's long-term plan to control the region. All these steps show that the main driving force of the conflict is the issue of Israeli security and territorial control. Which is more important than the presence of any Hamas leader.

US Role:

The US has helped negotiate with Hamas through countries such as Egypt and Qatar. But critics say they have failed to apply enough pressure on Israel. Despite the US's massive military power, it has tended to side with Israel. As a result, at the same time, the negotiation of a ceasefire has become difficult.

Hamas position:

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was hardline. However, as early as 2024, Hamas showed interest in negotiations under certain conditions. At the time Israel had isolated Gaza and Hamas was under a lot of pressure due to food shortages, destruction of infrastructure and the loss of a large part of the population of Gaza. However, the talks collapsed after Israel refused to make any important concessions, including the withdrawal of troops.

Effects of Sinwar's death:

Even if Yahya Sinwar is killed, it will not solve the core issues of the ceasefire. While the Israeli public celebrated his death, the incident would continue long-standing military and political tensions.

Analysts say Hamas is an integral part of Gaza's social fabric and will continue to resist despite a change in leadership. Source: Middle East Eye