let's begin this hour with that major breaking story from the middle east. the israeli military says it may have killed the hamas leader, yahya sinwar, in a military operation in gaza. israeli officials appear increasingly confident that he is one of the three people killed during that operation, but dna tests are being carried out for a definitive confirmation. yahya sinwar is seen as the chief architect of the october—the—seventh attacks on israel last year. the idf said thursday's operation was on a building where there was no sign of israeli hostages. chief of general staff chief of general staff and chief of general staff and the chief of general staff and the director of the military intelligence earlier he had hinted on social media that yahya sinwar had been killed,

saying that our enemies cannot intervene in issue a statement until a that undown intervene in issue a statement until a that our own intervene in issue a statement until a that our enemies cannot saying that our enemies cannot hide. hide. our correspondent in our correspondent in jerusalem is wyre davies. jerusalem is wyre davies. what is the latest that you are what is the latest that you are hearing? hearing? what is the latest that you are hearin: ? . .,, what is the latest that you are hearin: ? . .,, what is the latest that you are hearin: ? . ., _, . hearing? increasing confidence of evidence _ what is the latest that you are hearin: ? . ., _, . hearing? increasing confidence of evidence _ hearing? increasing confidence of evidence and _ hearing? increasing confidence of evidence and is _ hearing? increasing confidence of evidence and is really - of evidence and is really circles both military and media hearing? increasing confidence of evidence and _ hearing? increasing confidence of evidence and is _ hearing? increasing confidence of evidence and is really - of evidence and is really circles both military and media that yahya sinwar, the that yahya sinwar, the 61—year—old leader of hamas, 61—year—old leader of hamas, the architect of those the architect of those cross—border attacks on the cross—border attacks on the october the 7th last year, has october the 7th last year, has been killed in what appears to been killed in what appears to been killed in what appears to be a firefight with israeli been killed in what appears to be a firefight with israeli soldiers, presumably in soldiers, presumably in southern gaza. pictures began southern gaza. pictures began to emerge earlier this to emerge earlier this afternoon, very graphic afternoon, very graphic pictures showing someone who pictures showing someone who resembled yahya sinwar with resembled yahya sinwar with resembled ya hya sinwar with clearly resembled yahya sinwar with resembled ya hya sinwar with clearly resembled yahya sinwar with clearly fatal injuries there's clearly fatal injuries there's been growing speculation if not been growing speculation if not official confirmation yet that official confirmation yet that he is indeed the leader of he is indeed the leader of hamas. a public holiday in hamas. a public holiday in israel, the government press israel, the government press office in the prime ministers office in the prime ministers office in the prime ministers office would not ordinarily

intervene in issue a statement until after sundown

publicly that they believe said publicly that they believe this is likely to be yahya sinwar but they are carrying out those dna tests and waiting for confirmation and announcement in the picture of the body that is been circulating online, that image, one of those images passed to the pentagon directed by the israelis as well as they look into this. in terms of what reaction is likely to come, president biden is currently in the air on air force one and heading to berlin in a prescheduled trip and as we understand, he has been briefed about developments in the middle east and also the defence secretary in brussels, i expect if and when we get confirmation that there will be a statement by the president and i think it is highly likely end but all of this speaks to is that the americans will

likely both welcome his death more than a year, the lebanon conflict, y( welcome e iranian more than a year, the lebanon but then try to move the issue conflict, y( welcome his anian more than a year, the lebanon conflict, y( welcome his death likely both welcome his death but then try to move the issue towards what then happens next towards what then happens next because they saw yahya sinwar because they saw yahya sinwar as really the key obstacle to as really the key obstacle to getting a breakthrough in a getting a breakthrough in a cease—fire for hostage relief cease—fire for hostage relief deal in they've been recused deal in they've been recused singly fresh —— they have been singly fresh —— they have been increasingly frustrated with benjamin netanyahu to try to increasingly frustrated with benjamin netanyahu to try to push the fundamentally as far push the fundamentally as far as american officials are as american officials are concerned, they saw the hamas concerned, they saw the hamas leader in gaza as being key leader in gaza as being key problem. and i think they will problem. and i think they will try and use that if and when try and use that if and when it's confirmed as an opportunity to try and rebuild it's confirmed as an opportunity to try and rebuild momentum to the talks which are momentum to the talks which are currently completely derailed. currently completely derailed. is go back tojerusalem and just discuss the significance of this moment if it is confirmed because of the gaza conflict that's gone on for more than a year, the lebanon

conflict, you have the iranian

momentum to the talks which are currently c structure derailed. momentum to the talks which are currently c structure in erailed. momentum to the talks which are currently c structure in gaza d. leadership structure in gaza is. leadership structure in gaza is some _ leadership structure in gaza is. some reaction to this in israel— is. some reaction to this in israei and _ is. some reaction to this in israel and today is a holiday in israel_ israel and today is a holiday in israel and there was a very crowded _ in israel and there was a very crowded beach in tel aviv 50 miies— crowded beach in tel aviv 50 miles north of gaza and when news — miles north of gaza and when news of— miles north of gaza and when news of yahya sinwar's presume death— news of yahya sinwar's presume death was— news of yahya sinwar's presume death was announced, crowds began — death was announced, crowds began to— death was announced, crowds began to cheer and clap and it's been_ began to cheer and clap and it's been a more measured reaction _ it's been a more measured reaction from families and there _ reaction from families and there are about 101 hostages being — there are about 101 hostages being held in gaza and they say this is— being held in gaza and they say this is good news but it is time _ this is good news but it is time now— this is good news but it is time now to sit and get a cease—fire done to get the remaining hostages released. do not lose — remaining hostages released. do not lose this opportunity and i was the — not lose this opportunity and i was the message from one of the mothers — was the message from one of the mothers of— was the message from one of the mothers of a hostage in gaza to the israeti — mothers of a hostage in gaza to the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu and whether she be _ benjamin netanyahu and whether she be reminded to go for a cease—fire now, ithink she be reminded to go for a cease—fire now, i think it is doubtful— cease—fire now, i think it is doubtful but you will want to see the _ doubtful but you will want to see the end of the military operation against hamas. looking _ operation against hamas. looking at live pictures from tel aviv, some the hostage

families that have gathered and we are hoping to talk to one of those in the next little while. let us go back to tom bateman, we are probably at a crossroads in terms of whether this does provide a new opportunity for a cease—fire negotiation to get back under way for the hostages and some sort of deal to get those out or whether benjamin netanyahu pursues these neta nyahu pursues these military netanyahu pursues these military operations and pointed to today is another success in the real crossroads, whatever the real crossroads, whatever the current white house is thinking. it the current white house is thinkina. , the current white house is thinking-— thinking. it is absolutely clear that _ thinking. it is absolutely clear that president - thinking. it is absolutely i clear that president biden thinking. it is absolutely - clear that president biden will absolutely try to use this moment if and when it's confirmed as an opportunity to try and rebuild some momentum into those completely stalled talks. but i think so much of this depends on the ground and when we are looking at this is

if yahya sinwar is dead, you have to look at the rest of hamas in gaza and have a command—and—control system which is partially, almost entirely collapsed in many ways and was described to me that yahya sinwar was a one—man band in the last few years in terms of the authority that he exercised over hamas in gaza and the israelis have killed both the head of the armed ring brigades earlier this year in an air strike brigades earlier this year in an airstrike and brigades earlier this year in an air strike and hamas denied it. and they say was killed earlier this year too. and in gaza, who is next is a key question and operation leave for hamas to go on, they're still managing to hold many hostages around a hundred we know still held in many of those still alive and clearly,

the points organisation, coordination and the israelis have been out to find them. the key question about the effect it has on hamas politically and on the ground now and whether that creates further opportunities, you'll have a huge moment of morale booster the israelis and benjamin netanyahu tried to capitalise on that and president biden will try to capitalise on all of this by saying here is a moment, here's a moment to try to move things forward politically now and that is what the americans want. but as i say, think much of it will depend on what goes on on the ground east of the israelis conducting a very fierce military offensive in the north of the gaza strip in particular at the moment.— of the gaza strip in particular at the moment. thank you very much for _ at the moment. thank you very much for that _ at the moment. thank you very much for that update _ at the moment. thank you very much for that update from - at the moment. thank you very much for that update from the l much for that update from the us and things earlier to davis. the latest lines but the agencies are appointing.

reuters quoting hamas sources saying the indication suggests that yahya sinwar has been killed in the israeli operation in gaza as being reported by reuters sourcing hamas and reuters sourcing hamas and reuters also reporting the israeli police and military say and response to recent reports of the assassination, they are actively having a identification dental images have been passed on to the authorities in further line from israeli police saying on completion of this, will be able to confirm the assassination and all of that latest information pointing to the tests that are currently being carried out before they give a definitive assessment about what and who they have actually hit. we can now speak to joshua landis who's director of the center of middle east studies at the university of oklahoma where hejoins us now. what is your assessment of the

moment we have reached? this is a tremendous _ moment we have reached? this is a tremendous victory _ moment we have reached? this is a tremendous victory for - moment we have reached? this is a tremendous victory for prime i a tremendous victory for prime minister benjamin netanyahu who has demanded total victory over gaza. this gives them an opportunity to plant his flag and say he does have total victory because yahya sinwar was the architect of october seven. so, israel would not only have avenged itself but it will have destroyed the leadership of hamas. the real problem, he comes on the day after because israelis have been united in their desire to destroy hamas. but they are not united on what should come next. some are demanding that the palestinians be driven out of gaza and that settlers, israeli settlers replace them. others are looking for a palestinian government and for rebuilding gaza. the united states in the eu are both

standing by their demand for a two state solution and so, this is going to divide israel as much as it unites it in a sense of victory tonight.— of victory tonight. you have “um ed of victory tonight. you have jumped a — of victory tonight. you have jumped a few _ 1525 00: