IN Gaza the people lived not just in fear of Israeli missiles — but of the Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar.

The terrorist leader, 61, was known as the Butcher of Khan Younis for his murderous regime.

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His death is an opportunity to ease the suffering in his homeland.

The question is whether either Hamas or Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu will take it.

There is no doubt the discovery of Sinwar’s body is a blow to Hamas.

The US, the UK and Israel’s other allies will see it as an opportunity to bring about a ceasefire.

But I am not convinced that will happen because since the October 7 massacre many Israelis have lost all hope of living peacefully alongside Palestinians.

A lot will depend upon who Hamas selects as Sinwar’s successor.

Khaled Mashal, who lived in Qatar and has been part of the senior team, is more of a pragmatist than the dead leader’s brother Mohammed Ibrahim Sinwar, who could also take charge.

Let’s hope they are a better judge of their allies than Sinwar.

His intention was to start a war on all fronts, by bringing Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran into the fray.

It was a huge miscalculation because neither wanted to invade Israel.

That deadly lack of judgment will be his horrific legacy.