Sinwar's death: Int'l community failed again, rues Anwar

Malaysia has condemned the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and urged the international community to oppose Israel’s barbarism, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

In a social media post, Anwar said Malaysia mourns the loss of the fighter and defender of the Palestinian people.

“Once again, the international community has failed to advocate for and ensure that peace and justice prevail, further worsening the conflict.

“Malaysia strongly condemns this murder and affirms that the regime’s attempt to weaken the call for liberation will not succeed.”

He urged the international community to oppose Israel’s brutality, and for the continuous massacre of Palestinians to be immediately halted.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Sinwar, who was described as the mastermind behind last year’s Oct 7 attack against the country, has been killed.

The BBC quoted the Israeli Defence Forces claiming that Sinwar was killed by its troops during an operation south of Gaza on Wednesday.

Sinwar was previously appointed as Hamas’ political bureau chief, replacing Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran in August.

Tribute to great hero

Bernama reported that Iran and Afghanistan paid tribute to Sinwar on Friday.

The 62-year-old Hamas Political Bureau Chief was a "great hero of Palestine's liberation path", Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Sinwar was a branch of the pure tree of honourable resistance against the occupation and oppression by Zionism, who spent his entire blessed life fighting for the legal and human rights of the Palestinian people and freeing them from the yoke of occupation and apartheid," it said.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry recalled that Sinwar spent 22 years of his life in the Zionist regime's prison during which he wrote several works, including the novel “The Thorn and the Clove”.

Afghanistan also mourned Sinwar's death.

"It is with profound sorrow that we have received the news of Sinwar’s martyrdom of Sinwar, who was martyred in an attack by Israeli Zionist occupiers," the Afghan government said.

The executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) described Sinwar as "the great national leader".

It denounced the continuation of the Jewish regime's "brutal massacres and the war of genocide against our people and our Arab nation in Palestine and Lebanon".

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a meeting with senior Hamas representatives.

He offered condolences on Sinwar's death and discussed the catastrophic humanitarian situation in northern Gaza.

The talks also covered the inter-Palestinian reconciliation process and the possibility of a ceasefire and prisoner swap, TRT World reported.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) confirmed a third attack by Israel on the agency's facilities in the last week, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for UN secretary-general António Guterres, told the daily press briefing at the UN Headquarters on Friday.

He said the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) has reported conditions in the north of Gaza as increasingly dire and dangerous for civilians, with families trying to survive under heavy bombardment.

The Israeli military has blocked access to the Jabalia refugee camp, where dozens of people are reportedly trapped under the rubble.

"In previous instances, Ocha accompanied rescue teams whose access was facilitated too late, resulting in only dead bodies being recovered," the UN spokesperson said.

‘Cruel and inhumane’

Bernama reported that the Islamic Development Department under the Prime Minister’s Department has extended condolences to the family of Sinwar.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said Sinwar’s spirit in defending Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Islam’s third holiest mosque) will always be remembered by Muslims worldwide.

“The PM’s Department (Religious Affairs) condemns the cruel and inhumane actions of the Zionist Israeli regime.

"All Muslims must continue to pray for the well-being and strength of the Palestinian people," he said in a statement today.

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