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The United States President Joe Biden and some other European leaders have renewed calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after Israel killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar on Thursday. Biden, speaking during his farewell visit with European leaders in Germany, said Sinwar’s death was “an opportunity to seek a path to peace” in Gaza.
Speaking in Berlin, United States President Joe Biden on Friday said the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was a “moment of justice” and “an opportunity to seek a path to peace” in Gaza.
Biden said Sinwar, considered the architect of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has “the blood of Americans and Israelis, Palestinians and Germans and so many others on his hands”.
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The US president said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to “also make this moment an opportunity to seek a path to peace, a better future in Gaza without Hamas”.
Earlier, while still on Air Force One, Biden hailed the death of Sinwar as a “good day”, saying it removed a key obstacle to a Gaza truce and hostage deal.
Biden’s flying visit comes weeks ahead of a US election in which allies are nervously eyeing a possible return of Donald Trump to the White House.
Trump would be expected to soften US criticism of Israel in its wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Biden’s meetings in Berlin were to heavily focus on the conflict pitting Israel against Hamas and its Hezbollah allies, including the risk of a wider escalation with Iran.
Biden said Thursday he would congratulate Netanyahu but also “discuss the pathway” for securing the release of hostages and “ending this war once and for all”.
“There is now the opportunity for a ‘day after’ in Gaza without Hamas in power, and for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” he said.
