Will Sinwar's Death Advance the Hostages' Release? The Four Unanswered Questions
The killing of the Hamas leader in Gaza has changed many of the key issues in the ongoing war – from the identity of his successor to what Israel needs to do to secure an urgent hostage deal. These are the main issues on the agenda
Israeli officials are having a difficult time at this stage assessing how the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar will affect the fate of the hostages in Gaza and any possible deal for possible release. In addition to concerns that Hamas will seek to avenge its leader's death by harming the hostages, officials are also expressing hope that now that Sinwar is out of the picture, breaking the deadlock in talks over a hostage deal and steering Hamas toward a cease-fire agreement may be achievable. "It's too early to know how the killing will affect the deal," one source involved in the negotiations acknowledged.