Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the most senior Jewish Member of the House of Representatives, issued the following statement regarding the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar:

“Yahya Sinwar was a mastermind of the horrific October 7th attack. In his death we must recognize who he truly was in his life: a brutal butcher of innocent civilians. Israel, Gaza, the Middle East, and the entire world are safer today without him in it.

“For Israelis, Sinwar represented the face of the terrorists' barbarity on October 7th, the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust. For Palestinians, Sinwar’s death represents a major step in the struggle for freedom from the oppressive yoke of Hamas’ savagery.

“Sinwar’s death represents a major milestone in Israel’s war in Gaza. Israel’s objective to eliminate Hamas leadership, especially those responsible for masterminding October 7th, is seemingly complete. Israel must now focus on the critical objective of returning the hostages home to their families.

“Now is the time to vigorously pursue a negotiated ceasefire agreement that will ensure a complete hostage release from Gaza. Israel must also heed the warnings of the United States and continue to increase the amount of humanitarian aid allowed to enter Gaza. 

“Yahya Sinwar was a terrorist with the blood of countless innocent civilians on his hands. The news of his death also impacts the many whose lives have been forever altered by the violence and destruction he inflicted upon the world. As the world digests this news, now is the time to turn the page on this bloody and devastating conflict in Gaza. Now is the time to come to an agreement on a negotiated ceasefire for the sake of all Israelis and Palestinians. Such an agreement will transition the situation on the ground from war to the elusive “day after,” including allowing innocent Palestinians to begin to rebuild their lives, and to finally fulfil what so many Israelis have been demanding for over a year: to bring them home, now.”

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