Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel refuse to back down from conflict after Sinwar’s death

If the U.S. wants to use the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as an opportunity for peace, the warring sides are publicly resisting. On Friday, Hamas vowed to keep fighting, Lebanese Hezbollah announced a new phase of its war and Israel announced more military deployments to northern Gaza and the Israeli border with Lebanon. Nick Schifrin reports.
Amna Nawaz:
Welcome to the “News Hour.”
If the U.S. wants to use the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as an opportunity for peace, the warring sides today are publicly resisting.
Geoff Bennett:
Hamas vowed to keep fighting. Lebanese Hezbollah announced a new phase of its war and Israel announced more military deployments into Northern Gaza and the Israeli border with Lebanon.
Nick Schifrin starts our coverage.
Nick Schifrin:
Today in Khan Yunis, in a blown-out mosque, Palestinians from Yahya Sinwar’s hometown mourn the death of a man they called a martyr, his final act throwing a stick at an Israeli drone before an Israeli tank seen in new footage released today fired and killed him.
But one day after it announced his death, the Israeli military also announced it expanded operational activity in Northern Gaza. Much of Hamas’ leadership is dead, but Hamas’ fighters continue their attacks. And, today, the group promised to keep it up and not give up its 100 Israeli hostage without a permanent cease-fire, said deputy Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya.
Khalil Al-Hayya, Gaza Hamas Deputy Chief (through interpreter):
Those prisoners will not return to you until the aggression our people in Gaza is stopped and full withdrawal from it, as well as the release of our heroes, the prisoners, from the occupation jails. And we will continue with Hamas’ path.
Nick Schifrin:
And Israel vowed to continue what it called its limited operation in Southern Lebanon, calling up another reserve brigade, said Israel’s top general, Herzi Halevi.
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Chief of Staff, Israeli Defense Forces (through interpreter): We are very determined to strike Hezbollah as hard as possible, and we are making sure that every day there’s a very tough surprise for Hezbollah.
Nick Schifrin:
But the war has been difficult and deadly for Israeli soldiers buried today, and for Lebanese, including 13 killed in an Israeli airstrike on a municipal building whose funeral today was collective.
Hezbollah is still launching rockets at Israel and today vowed a — quote — “new phase of the war.” Despite all the calls for more fighting, U.S. officials still hope Sinwar’s death can produce momentum for a Gaza cease-fire. And Secretary of State Antony Blinken will soon make his 12th trip to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Joe Biden, President of the United States: I told the prime minister yesterday, let’s also make this moment an opportunity to seek a path to peace, a better future in Gaza without Hamas.
Nick Schifrin:
But President Biden also admitted today it would be harder to get a cease-fire in Gaza than it would be in Lebanon, what U.S. officials tell me is a reflection of their skepticism that Israel’s maximalist goals in Gaza will change or, Geoff, that Hamas will be willing to make compromise.
Geoff Bennett:
And, given, Hamas’ latest position on the negotiations, what does that suggest about what might come next and who this militant group might choose as their next leader?
Nick Schifrin:
We spoke to a lot of experts and officials today and all of them emphasize it’s a little too early to know exactly where Hamas will proceed.
But in the piece that we just showed, you heard that statement from the deputy leader of Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya. He is believed to represent the organization, not just himself. That suggests the fighting will continue, also that they’re willing to negotiate, even if the opening public offer has been unacceptable to Israel.
He is one of the possible successors to Sinwar. Other candidates include Khaled Mashal. Either one of them would likely lead the organization’s political wing from Doha. But the military wing will likely be led by this man, Mohammed Sinwar, Yahya Sinwar’s brother. He is considered just as, if not more ruthless than his brother.
Hamas has replaced leaders in the past. But given what’s happened in Gaza over the last year, any political leader based in Doha is going to have a hard time controlling the fighters in Gaza.
Take a listen to Nathan Brown from George Washington.
Nathan Brown, Professor of International Affairs, George Washington University: Hamas has well-oiled procedures. They have got ways to canvass people in jail, ways to canvass people who are underground in the West Bank, abroad, Gaza and so on. Their mechanisms have never had to operate under a situation like this.
I have got to believe the Hamas that comes out of this will be very, very different, probably leaner and perhaps a little bit meaner, as people within the organization look to each other and say, what did you do in the war?
Nick Schifrin:
That distance between the political and military wings and also some expectation that the first step any new leader would make would be to make concessions, that, Geoff, is going to make it very difficult to get any kind of cease-fire talks going from the Hamas side.
Geoff Bennett:
Meantime, U.S. officials say they want Israel to use this as an opportunity to end the war. What is Israel saying about that?
Nick Schifrin:
There’s a debate in Israel on what to do. And some in the military have been saying even before Sinwar’s death that it is time to declare victory in Gaza and downshift operation, move to some kind of counterterrorism operation and allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
But the first order for the military and the political leadership in Gaza remains the hostages. Yesterday, Netanyahu made a specific offer. He said, Israel will guarantee the safety of all those who return our hostages.
What he did not offer, however, and what he has been consistent about since day one is that maximalist goal, letting Hamas have any power in Gaza in the future. And that goal is not going to change, says Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute.
Yohanan Plesner, President, Israel Democracy Institute:
The goal of not allowing Hamas to continue to control Gaza is a goal that is still valid. Israel is not putting that offer on the table, because we know, if Hamas remains there, their alliance with Iran will allow them to again redirect, rebuild their capacity and redirect their terror capabilities.
So this is not an option. Someone else needs to replace Hamas as the entity that manages Gaza.
Nick Schifrin:
The challenge, of course, is, what is the next entity to manage Gaza? U.S. officials have been working with Arab governments to try and create a security force that would transition to the Palestinian Authority.
But there is no agreement between those Arab governments, and Netanyahu opposes any Palestinian Authority control over Gaza. That is what Blinken is going to be working on next week when he goes to the region. But, again, U.S. officials are skeptical that you get either sides’ movement.
Geoff Bennett:
And what about the Palestinians? I mean, how are they viewing the prospects of ending this war?
Nick Schifrin:
Very skeptically.
They do not see Netanyahu budging from his goals, nor do they see the U.S. using very much leverage over Netanyahu to try and get him to budge.
Take a listen to Khaled Elgindy of the Middle East Institute.
Khaled Elgindy, Middle East Institute:
It is an opportunity, but it’s one that I’m not sure Prime Minister Netanyahu is going to seize upon.
I mean, in his statement yesterday, he’s sort of nodded in both directions, on the one hand saying there’s an opportunity here, on the other hand saying the war will continue.
I think most people understand his personal and political calculations are that he needs the war to continue to remain in power, to keep his coalition intact, to avoid accountability for the failures of October 7 of last year. And he’s had very little incentive to end the war.
Nick Schifrin:
Palestinians in Gaza and U.S. officials also point out there’s very little aid getting into Northern Gaza.
Geoff, over the last few days, the Israeli military does say that dozens of trucks got in. The U.S. says that’s not enough.
Geoff Bennett:
Nick Schifrin, our thanks to you, as always. We appreciate it.
Nick Schifrin:
Thank you.