Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday said that Hamas is "still alive" after the death of the group's chief Yahya Sinwar.
Khamenei added that Sinwar's death will not halt the "Axis of Resistance". "His loss is undoubtedly painful for the Axis of Resistance, but this front did not cease advancing with the martyrdom of prominent figures," Khamenei said in a statement.
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"Hamas is alive and will remain alive."
Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks on Israel, was killed on Wednesday in a gunfight with Israeli forces. His death was announced on Thursday.
"He was a shining face of resistance and struggle. With a steely resolve, he stood against the oppressive and aggressive enemy. With wisdom and courage, he dealt them the irreparable blow of October 7 that has been recorded in the history of this region. Then, with honour and pride, he ascended to the heavens of the martyrs," said Khamenei.
The 'Axis of Resistance' includes Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi.
"As always, we will remain by the side of the sincere fighters and combatants, by God's grace and help," Khamenei said.
Meanwhile, Israel on Saturday dropped leaflets over southern Gaza showing the picture of Sinwar with a message that, "Hamas will no longer rule Gaza."
"Whoever drops the weapon and hands over the hostages will be allowed to leave and live in peace," the leaflet added, said the Khan Younis residents.
On October 7, during the Hamas attack, 1,200 people were killed. Also, around 250 people were taken as hostages. Reportedly, 97 are still held as hostages in Gaza.
While confirming its chief's death, Hamas said that hostages will not be freed till the Gaza "aggression" ends.
In a video statement on Friday, senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said that Israel would come to regret killing Sinwar, adding that his "martyrdom" would only strengthen the group.
The last moments of Sinwar's death, which went viral on social media, received mixed reactions from people in Gaza, with some mourning his killing. Unlike former Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh or Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah, Sinwar was killed while fighting the Israeli forces.
Haniyeh was killed in a hotel room in one of the targeted Israeli bomb attacks in Iran. While Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in an underground bunker in Beirut.
"He died as a fighter, as a martyr," Somaia Mohtasib, a Palestinian displaced from Gaza City, was quoted by the Associated Press.
