Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has strongly condemned the assassination of Yahya Sinwar, leader of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, calling on the international community to reject Israel’s barbarism.
Ibrahim made the remarks in a statement posted on X on Saturday, following Sinwar’s death in a direct clash with Israeli forces on the battlefield in the southern Gaza Strip.
“Malaysia strongly condemned the killing, and it was clear that the regime’s attempt to undermine the demand for release would not succeed. Malaysia insists that the international community reject Israel’s barbarity and that the ongoing massacre of Palestinians must be stopped immediately,” he said.
The Malaysian premier went on to say that once again, the international community has failed to ensure peace as the situation is worsening in the region.
“Despite international outcry, Israel continues its air and ground attacks both in Lebanon and Gaza,” he added.
Sinwar was found dead in southern Gaza’s Rafah city on Thursday, wearing a combat vest with an AK-47 rifle by his side. Hamas confirmed his assassination in a statement on Friday.
The charismatic leader of the Palestinian resistance movement had escaped many assassination attempts before and after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Oct. 7, 2023,
Sinwar, 62, played an instrumental role in coordinating and supervising the landmark operation that jolted the Zionist regime and shattered the myth of its invincibility.
Before becoming Hamas’ political leader, Sinwar served as the group’s military leader in Gaza for seven consecutive years. He had spent 22 years in an Israeli prison before being released as part of a prisoner swap in 2011.
In a statement mourning Sinwar’s death, Hamas vowed his death would only strengthen the movement, adding that it wouldn’t compromise on conditions to reach a ceasefire deal with Israel.
“He died a hero, attacking not fleeing, clutching his rifle, and engaging against the occupation army at the front line,” the resistance group said, after a video of some of his final minutes, showed him masked and wounded in a shell-smashed apartment trying to hurl a stick at an Israeli drone filming him.