GAZA CITY. The leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, is reportedly facing increasing pressure from his own commanders to agree to a ceasefire with Israel, according to a report by CNN.
CIA Director Bill Burns, speaking at a closed-door conference, revealed that Sinwar is feeling the heat due to the suffering in Gaza for which he is being blamed. Burns noted that while Sinwar is not “concerned with his mortality,” the dire situation in Gaza is driving the push for a ceasefire.
A U.S. official told CNN that Washington believes Sinwar no longer desires to rule Gaza. Instead, he is considering an “interim governance” plan as part of a ceasefire agreement with Israel, which would see Hamas relinquish control of Gaza.
This development comes shortly after Israel targeted Hamas’ military leader, Mohammed Deif, in an airstrike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. It remains unclear if Deif was killed in the attack.
Israel has labeled Sinwar a “dead man walking,” viewing him as the key architect of the October 7 massacre. Both Israel and the U.S. believe Sinwar has been hiding underground in Khan Younis.
In recent weeks, Israel has intensified its attacks across Gaza to increase pressure on Hamas. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported striking around 40 targets in the past 24 hours, including sniping posts, observation posts, Hamas military structures, and buildings rigged with explosives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that only military pressure will compel Hamas to release the hostages. However, Netanyahu faces immense pressure from the families of hostages who demonstrate daily, demanding the government agree to a ceasefire.
U.S. President Joe Biden stated that both Hamas and Israel have agreed to a framework for a ceasefire deal, but there are “still gaps to close” as negotiations are set to resume this week.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Israel and the Palestinian territories this week, advocating for an “immediate ceasefire” that would free the hostages and alleviate the “suffering and the intolerable loss of life that we’re now seeing also in Gaza.”
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
