The White House said Friday it is hopeful the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Wednesday will revive talks toward a cease-fire between the Palestinian militant group and Israel.

The Israeli military killed Sinwar, the mastermind behind Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in a gunfight in southern Gaza. His death has been confirmed by both the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas.

Speaking to reporters Friday from Berlin, John Kirby, White House national security spokesman, said Sinwar’s death provides “a unique opportunity” to end the yearlong war between the two sides.

The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been trying for months to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas that could end fighting in Gaza in exchange for Hamas releasing all the remaining hostages it took last October.

Hamas has participated in some talks. But Kirby said “Sinwar was the main obstacle to getting a cease-fire done,” as he ultimately rejected every proposal negotiated by his own political adviser.

“It's not as if the Israelis weren't willing to continue to find compromises. And they did,” Kirby said. “Each and every time, Sinwar found a way to stop it.”

Kirby said Sinwar’s death can “provide an inflection point” in ending the war and that “there’s a keen sense of urgency” to freeing the hostages. 

Around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, at least half of whom Israel thinks are still alive.

While Kirby was saying the U.S. believes a cease-fire is important for the hostages to be released, Hamas remained defiant Friday, saying it would not free the hostages until fighting has been halted and Israeli troops have withdrawn from Gaza. It’s not yet clear who might succeed Sinwar.

Kirby argued the militant group is in a “much, much, much weaker position than it ever was before.”

“Look at what the Israeli Defense Forces have been able to do against Hamas,” he said. “I mean, they've really decimated their leadership, now knocking out the top leader himself. They have without question completely eliminated any immediate threat that Hamas would pose from a military perspective. They've knocked out the military command structure. They've gone after weapons caches. 

“They've made it much more difficult for Hamas to operate and act, plan and execute the way they did on Oct. 7,” he continued.

Kirby said he was not aware as of Friday of any outreach by Hamas to resume talks since Sinwar’s death.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel “settled its account” with Sinwar, but added that “the task before us is not yet complete.” 

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both said Thursday they hoped the killing of Sinwar could lead to a truce.

“It’s time for this war to end and bring these hostages home,” Biden told reporters on Air Force One as he headed to Germany. “So that’s what we’re ready to do.”

Harris said Sinwar's death “gives us an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza, and it must end such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”

Spectrum News’ Maddie Gannon and Justin Tasolides contributed to this report.