Middle East: In a heart-wrenching tribute to Palestine's heroic freedom fighter, Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya announced his martyrdom in a statement on Friday.

"Our hearts are heavy, but we are filled with determination and resolve," he remarked.

Al-Hayya emphasized that although the Zionist forces fired two tank shells and a shoulder-fired missile at the iconic leader of the Palestinian resistance, Sinwar "stood defiant, resisting until his last breath."

For millions of people worldwide, and countless supporters of Palestine's freedom struggle against the Zionist occupation, Sinwar’s martyrdom may mark the end of a legendary anti-colonial warrior, but it does not signify the end of the resistance.

The history of struggles against slavery, racism, fascism, imperialism, and colonialism—including our own fight in South Africa against apartheid—teaches us about the colossal price paid by those seeking freedom and justice.

Our memories are filled with the names of fallen heroes and heroines.

We remember David Webster, assassinated nine months before Nelson Mandela’s release by the apartheid regime's security branch. They justified his murder in the same language used by the Israeli regime, claiming he deserved to die because he was involved in “terrorist activities.”

Or consider the unjust hanging of Solomon Mahlangu. Mahlangu joined the African National Congress (ANC) and was trained as part of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the military wing of the ANC, founded after the Sharpeville massacre—a mass shooting at a peaceful demonstration that left 69 dead and 180 injured.

He received training in Angola and Mozambique before returning to South Africa in 1977 to join the student protests.

His last words, which have undoubtedly echoed across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, were: “My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom. Tell my people that I love them. They must continue the fight.”

We also recall the murder of Steve Biko, following severe beatings and torture by apartheid forces in police custody. Biko, an iconic anti-apartheid activist, sparked global outrage with his killing, leading to worldwide protests and a UN arms embargo.

The list is endless: Ahmed Timol, Imam Abdullah Haroon, Solwandle Looksmart Ngudle, Alfred Mabake Makaleng, Suliman Saloojee, and Joseph Mdluli are just some of those brutally killed by the apartheid entity while in police custody.

Charlotte Maxeke, Helen Joseph, Lillian Ngoyi, Fatima Meer, and many others are among the resistance heroines who faced apartheid's unjust laws.

Similar, and even harsher, legislation exists in the occupied Palestinian territories today, allowing the regime to detain Palestinian men, women, and children without trial and subject them to horrific torture without legal recourse.

The Zionist regime, led by American-proxy Benjamin Netanyahu, continues its fascist plots to liquidate all Palestinians.

Netanyahu, born Mileikowsky in Poland, has a terrorist track record steeped in hatred and the murder of Palestinians, as evidenced by the relentless slaughter taking place in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The cruelty of the massacres perpetrated by his forces across Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and the wider region has left many in disbelief.

Yet, it is a fact that the history of the colonial settler regime, since its illegal, violent imposition on the land of Palestine, is filled with violence, terrorism, and the gruesome extermination of the indigenous Palestinian population.

Though Netanyahu may enjoy support from racists within the corridors of power in Western Europe, America, and small Zionist lobby operations in South Africa, he does not have the backing of the majority of the world, who resent his evil barbarism.

Sinwar's martyrdom will only strengthen the resolve of those resisting the illegal Zionist occupation, as stated by Hayya, as his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh's assassination did just three months ago.

Sinwar will be remembered for leading from the front. He was not hiding in some underground tunnel or holding captives as "human shields" as falsely claimed by the Israeli regime for more than a year. He was above ground, holding rifle in his hands and fighting alongside Hamas fighters.

“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming.” – Pablo Neruda

Source: Press TV