Israel has its Bin Laden moment, but it can’t be sure killing Sinwar will see off Hamas | Jason Burke

The history of decapitation strategies' tells us it is almost impossible to know what effect assassinating a key figure such as Yahya Sinwar will have

Israelis and others have welcomed the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and the mastermind of the 7 October 2023 attacks, as an Osama bin Laden moment". This reflects how many in Israel feel about the death of a man responsible for the murder of 1,200 people, mostly civilians and their compatriots, but terrorism experts have long debated the efficacy of eliminating the leaders of violent extremist groups, with some suggesting the strategy is counter-productive.

The truth is that no one is sure.