IDF Official to Newsmax: Sinwar Death Would Be 'Significant'

The elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar would be "significant" but not the "turning point" that Israel needs to eliminate the terrorist group itself in Gaza, Maj. Doron Spielman, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), told Newsmax on Monday.

Spielman said the IDF has "intelligence reasons" to believe that Sinwar was killed, but his death wouldn't be the end of Hamas. That can only be achieved by breaking their will, he said.

"Look, if Sinwar is eliminated — and everyone is waiting for the reports, including the IDF; it's very difficult to know if he's eliminated. He's been, it's been very, very quiet.

"There's intelligence reasons for us to believe that perhaps he was eliminated — what this would mean is cutting the head off the snake," Spielman said on "The Record With Greta Van Susteren."

"However, we have to understand Hamas ideology and Hamas' ability to move forward — it wouldn't stop with the elimination of Sinwar. It would weaken their command-and-control structure to the point at which you already have Hamas ... reduced to individual acting units," Spielman added. "If we take away the will of Hamas, and we break the back of Hamas' will, that will be the turning point in the war."

Spielman said there's a parallel to ending World War II.

"Similarly, when the U.S. went in after Nazi Germany, they didn't destroy every Nazi. At the end of the day, they broke the will of the Nazis," he said. "[Sinwar's death] will contribute toward that. But as we know, especially with Israel right now, we're not going to count our chickens before they hatch.

"Certainly, it would be one of the most significant things that had happened if it is, if it does come out to be accurate that he is, in fact, eliminated."

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