Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the mastermind behind the October 7th raid on Israel, was killed by Israeli forces in Rafah, Gaza, on the 17th. Gershon Baskin, who previously served as a negotiator for prisoner exchange agreements, spoke with CNN anchor Kim Brunhuber about the implications of Sinwar’s death. He noted that Hamas’s command structure is now in disarray, which could endanger the lives of hostages.
“Hamas is in a state of chaos,” Baskin remarked. “The internal turmoil within Gaza and the leadership in exile might lead to a dire situation. There is a real possibility that Hamas militants holding hostages could resort to execution. Right now, there is no clear command structure in Gaza, and discipline could easily break down.”
Baskin further explained that following Sinwar’s death, negotiators will need to focus on reaching an agreement with the Hamas leadership based in Doha, Qatar. “There’s a significant question to consider: Is there a viable agreement that can ensure the safe return of all hostages and guarantee that the Gaza government will not be Hamas after the conflict? If these two conditions can be secured in an agreement, then the Israeli military could withdraw from Gaza,” he stated.
