New Hamas chief 'could dash peace deal hopes'

SLAIN Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's replacement by his brother could dash hopes of a rapid peace deal in Gaza, experts warned last night.

- Marco Giannangeli, Paul Cainer

It comes as a further 32 people died yesterday in Gaza in Israeli airstrikes, as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tries to take advantage of the Hamas leadership vacuum ahead of the US election.

The killing of Sinwar in Rafah was branded "more significant" than the attack which killed former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was no longer active in the organisation.

Shalom ben Hanan, who led a division of the Shin Bet security service that specialises in hunting terrorists, said: "Sinwar was the biggest obstacle to ending the war. The way he died, accompanied by only two Hamas senoperatives, ior will also have a demoralising effect.