President Biden lauds death of Hamas leader, says it's a 'good day' for US

President Joe Biden on Thursday released a statement on the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, claiming the confirmation of his death made it a "good day for Israel, the United States, and the world." 

Sinwar has been credited as the architect of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel last year, which resulted in the deaths of over a thousand Israelis. Sinwar's death was confirmed on Thursday by the Israeli Defense Forces, and occurred during a military operation in Gaza.

Biden stated that Israel had "every right" to defend itself and eliminate the leadership of Hamas, and that it could no longer orchestrate another attack like Oct. 7.

"Early this morning, Israeli authorities informed my national security team that a mission they conducted in Gaza likely killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.  DNA tests have now confirmed that Sinwar is dead," the president said. "He was the mastermind of the October 7th massacres, rapes, and kidnappings. 

"It was on his orders that Hamas terrorists invaded Israel to intentionally – and with unspeakable savagery – kill and massacre civilians, a Holocaust survivor, children in front of their parents, and parents in front of their children," Biden continued. "To my Israeli friends, this is no doubt a day of relief and reminiscence, similar to the scenes witnessed throughout the United States after President Obama ordered the raid to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2011."

The president added that the death of Sinwar now creates an opportunity for the war in Israel to end.

The statement comes as Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running to replace Biden as president next month, has tried to walk a narrow line between defending Israel's right to protect itself and showing empathy for Palestinians caught in the crossfire.

Harris said that "justice has been served" over the death of the Hamas leader, and urged Israel to end the war in Gaza, per The Guardian.

Other U.S. leaders also reacted to Sinwar's death. House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed the terrorist's life was the "embodiment of evil" and his death "brings hope for all who want to live in freedom."

"Let this be a reminder to Hamas and all those who were involved in the October 7th attacks: you may try to terrorize and intimidate, but those who live under the banner of freedom will never surrender," Johnson said in a post on X. "The eternal flame of liberty and the faith of the Jewish people will never be snuffed out by the darkness of barbarism and the cruelty of antisemitism."

Johnson also said that despite the victory, the Biden-Harris administration should now work with Israel to "apply a maximum pressure campaign against the head of the snake: Iran."

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.