BERLIN: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in an Israeli strike could open doors for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Hamas had appointed Sinwar as the successor to former political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was also killed by Israel in Tehran in August. Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces in Rafah on Wednesday.
After talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, and French President Emmanuel Macron, Starmer remarked, “I do think the death of Sinwar provides an opportunity to move towards the ceasefire we have long called for.” He echoed Biden’s sentiment that Sinwar’s death presents “an opportunity to seek a path to peace, a better future in Gaza without Hamas.”
Starmer emphasized the need for diplomacy over military solutions and highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, urging Israel to facilitate the delivery of aid. “The world will not tolerate any more excuses on humanitarian assistance. Civilians in northern Gaza need food now,” he said.
In related news, the UK’s Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) reported raising £8.8 million ($11.5 million) in the first day of an urgent appeal for citizens in Gaza, Lebanon, and the occupied West Bank. King Charles III and Queen Camilla were among the first donors.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also said that Sinwar’s death opens significant opportunities for negotiating a lasting ceasefire and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
