What's happened
The U.S. has charged Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and five others with terrorism-related offenses linked to the October 7 attack that killed 1,200 people, including over 40 Americans. The indictment, unsealed on September 3, is largely symbolic as many defendants are believed to be dead or in hiding.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Axios, the U.S. indictment against Yahya Sinwar and others is a significant step in holding Hamas accountable for its actions, with Attorney General Merrick Garland stating, "These actions will not be our last." The Guardian emphasizes the charges' symbolic nature, noting that three of the defendants are deceased, which raises questions about the effectiveness of such legal actions. The South China Morning Post highlights the broader context of the Israel-Gaza conflict, mentioning the high civilian toll in Gaza as a result of the ongoing military actions following the October 7 attack.
How we got here
The charges stem from the October 7 attack by Hamas, which triggered a significant Israeli military response in Gaza. The U.S. aims to hold Hamas accountable for its actions, particularly the killing of American citizens during the conflict.
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More on these topics
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Yahya Sinwar is the current Palestinian leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, having taken over from Ismail Haniyeh in February 2017. He was one of the co-founders of the security apparatus of Hamas. He is the second most powerful figure within Hamas.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.