By JOSEPH KRAUSS Associated Press

Yahya Sinwar’s appointment as the top leader of Hamas formalizes a role he assumed in the early hours of Oct. 7, when the surprise attack into Israel that he helped mastermind ushered in the bloodiest chapter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He is seen as a hard-liner with closer ties to Hamas’ armed wing than his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an explosion in Iran’s capital last month that was widely blamed on Israel and could spark an all-out regional war.

Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Sinwar was already seen as having the final word on any cease-fire agreement for Gaza and the release of dozens of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.

But he is deep in hiding inside Gaza, and mediators say it takes several days to exchange messages with him. That raises questions about how he would manage a sprawling organization with cadres across the Middle East.

Hamas has survived the killing of several top leaders across more than three decades, while maintaining a high degree of internal cohesion — and tapping Sinwar, who tops Israel’s most-wanted list, was a show of defiance.

But Hamas has never faced a crisis of this magnitude — and the man who engineered it is now charged with managing the fallout.

An even tougher stance toward Israel

Haniyeh was a veteran of Hamas’ political wing who had once served as Palestinian prime minister and in more recent years had managed the group’s affairs from his base in Qatar.

While Hamas has always championed armed struggle, Haniyeh and other exiled leaders had occasionally struck a more moderate tone, even expressing openness to a possible two-state solution, although still officially refusing to recognize Israel.

Sinwar, by contrast, spent more than two decades in Israeli prisons and told interrogators he had killed 12 suspected Palestinian collaborators, gaining a reputation for brutality among people on both sides of the conflict.

He and Mohammed Deif, the shadowy head of Hamas’ armed wing who Israel claims to have killed in a recent strike, spent years building up the group’s military strength and are believed to have devised the Oct. 7 attack. Terrorists burst into Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250.

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In recent negotiations, “Haniyeh had played a big role in trying to convince Sinwar to accept a cease-fire proposal with Israel,’’ said Hugh Lovatt, an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Sinwar has stuck to demands for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a lasting cease-fire — even as nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing war, according to local officials, and much of the territory left in ruins.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is completely destroyed and all the hostages return home.

“The killing of Haniyeh already brought negotiations back to the drawing board,” said Lina Khatib, an expert on the conflict at Chatham House, a London-based think tank. “This next chess move by Hamas makes negotiations even trickier.”

Sadeq Abu Amer, head of the Palestinian Dialogue Group, a think tank based in Turkey, said that while Sinwar’s elevation might appear to be a “challenge to Israel,” it is still possible to make a deal.

He added that Sinwar, in his new role, “might take a step that will surprise everyone.”

Leading from the shadows

Predicting how Sinwar will lead Hamas is difficult because of the secrecy around him.

Sinwar has not been seen since the start of the war and even before Oct. 7 made only rare public appearances. He is likely in hiding deep inside Hamas’ tunnel network and largely cut off from the outside world.

While he can be expected to set overall policy and make the final decision on any cease-fire deal, Hamas’ day-to-day operations in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and elsewhere are likely to be managed by its exiled leaders in Qatar, Lebanon, Turkey and Iran.

“There are issues that he can make a decision on and there are issues and matters that his deputies and the rest of the members of the political bureau can do,” said Hani al-Masri, a veteran Palestinian analyst who has met most of Hamas’ leaders over the years, including Haniyeh and Sinwar.

Hamas has a long history of persevering after the killing of its top leaders — including its founder and spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who was killed in an airstrike in 2004.

But it has never faced a campaign of targeted killings on this scale.

Israel says it has killed scores of Hamas commanders in Gaza, including Deif, whose death Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied. Another top Hamas leader, Saleh Arouri, was killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Beirut in January. The string of targeted killings has likely led other Hamas leaders to limit their movements and contacts.

That could eventually degrade the organization, even as it enjoys the support of many — but not most — Palestinians.

“Israel’s elimination of senior Hamas leaders who cannot easily be replaced has likely had a qualitative impact on the movement,” Lovatt said. “More fundamentally, though, the killing of senior figures such as Arouri and Haniyeh appears to have tipped the movement in a more hard-line direction.”

Associated Press writers Jack Jeffery in Ramallah, West Bank, and Kareem Chehayeb, Sarah El Deeb and Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.

An opposing Big Ten assistant coach shared some interesting comments about the Gophers football program for Athlon Sports’ preview magazine, wondering about coach P.J. Fleck’s commitment last offseason and whether new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman’s scheme will translate to the Big Ten.

The coach, granted anonymity to speak more freely, also was intrigued by the addition of New Hampshire transfer quarterback Max Brosmer.

Here are the coach’s statements put into context:

“I think P.J. chased UCLA and some other jobs pretty hard to get out of there, and that didn’t happen for him.”

In an interview last winter, Gophers athletics director Mark Coyle confirmed the Bruins’ interest in Fleck was “real.” As for the supposed “other jobs,” that remains a mystery.

When Fleck was connected to UCLA in February, Coyle and Fleck had “long conversations” that weekend, and that led to Fleck professing his commitment to the Gophers on social media. Then in March, Fleck received an amended contract with annual retention bonuses worth a total of $5.7 million over the six years left on his contract.

At Big Ten Media Days late last month, Fleck appeared to reference this situation again.

“I think in 2024 it’s OK to love where you’re at,” he said at the podium at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. “It is OK to love Minnesota. It’s OK to love the position that you’re in, and I think (Coyle and I) share that.”

Fleck added that he and wife, Heather, are building a new home and plan to move into it this month.

Over his seven years in Dinkytown, Fleck has not has consecutive losing seasons at Minnesota, but will that shared “love” remain if the U meets Vegas’ low expectations of another under-.500 season this fall?

“The transfer quarterback from FCS could be a really exciting player in that offensive system. He’s already a captain for them, so they really believe he can be a game-changer for their offense.”

As a sixth-year senior with a pre-med education, Brosmer has come across as a smart and polished leader in interviews, saying all the right things since he joined the team during Quick Lane Bowl prep in December and through the start of fall camp.

Brosmer was second in FCS with 3,449 passing yards last season, making him a finalist for the Walter Payton Award. Fleck pointed out that being in the running for the Payton Award, given  annually to the FCS player of the year, was especially hard because New Hampshire went 6-5 a season ago. The QB acknowledged his own adjustment to FBS competition in practices, and he still needs to prove he can not only cope but thrive against the size and speed of the Big Ten.

Just as important, Fleck will need to trust Brosmer to make plays through the air, and if things don’t go according to plan, not retreat to the comfort blanket of running the ball.

Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh said last week he trusts Brosmer with every call in the playbook. That’s a departure from predecessor Athan Kaliakmanis.

“The new defensive coordinator is known for a big attacking scheme from when he was an FCS coordinator. It will be interesting to see how that translates to this league. Minnesota doesn’t have the kind of personnel that can allow you to blitz like that.”

Hetherman built that aggressive reputation during his tenure at James Madison from 2019-21. Former Dukes defensive end Ron’Dell Carter told the Daily News Record in Harrisonburg, Va. in 2019: “It’s super aggressive. You blitz every play.”

At Minnesota, Hetherman has been asked about his defense’s calling card and his style as a coach, but like a sly linebacker or covert defensive back, he just might have disguised how often he will blitz at the U.

“We want to create explosives on defense,” Hetherman said before spring practices in March. “We want to take the football away. We want to create takeaways, change the field.”

Hetherman said he wants to throw multiple looks at offenses, and that will include moving versatile defensive linemen around to different alignments. Like pretty much every DC, he wants to make opponents one-dimensional by stopping the run and forcing them to throw the ball. That can include sacks to get opponents behind the sticks.

“How do we make it so they have to throw the football and they are not in charge of dictating to us what the play type is going to be?” Hetherman said.

The anonymous Big Ten assistant is right to question Minnesota’s personnel. From safety to cornerback and linebacker, inexperienced players within each group will need to prove they are up to the task that can include more man coverage.

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Which toaster is best?

Toast is a wonderful thing — white or whole wheat, store-bought or homemade, slathered in butter or topped with avocado — and the right toaster makes it easier to get your fix at any time. You deserve better than toasters that don’t fit a standard slice of bread or give shockingly uneven results.

Finding the right one is easier than you might think once you know what to look for. If you want a reliable four-slice toaster, the Cuisinart Metal Classic 4-Slice Toaster is an excellent choice.

What to know before you buy a toaster

Two-slice toaster vs. four-slice toaster

You can divide toasters into two broad categories: two-slice and four-slice. As you might guess, two-slice toasters can toast up to two slices of bread simultaneously, while four-slice toasters can toast up to four slices of bread simultaneously. Which is best for you depends on the toast needs of your household. If several people eat breakfast together, you’ll probably need a four-slice toaster, while a two-slice model will suffice for those who usually eat alone.

The great thing about toasters is that they’re far more compact than toaster ovens, so even a four-slice model will have a smaller footprint. If you opt for a four-slice toaster, consider buying one with two sets of controls so you can easily toast one or two slices without wasting energy.

Slot size

Consider both the length and width of the slots. Extra-long slots can fit two standard slices of bread next to each other or one oversized slice of bread. If you bake your own bread regularly or buy artisan loaves, extra-long slots are the way to go. You may also want extra-wide slots as they can more easily fit bagels, English muffins, burger buns and other thick baked goods.

Toast shade selection

Most toasters have a simple dial that lets you select the desired shade of your toast, from barely warmed at one end of the scale to blackened at the other. These settings differ between toasters, so err on the side of caution until you’ve mastered your new toaster. Four-slice toasters may have two shade selection dials, so you can make one pair of slices more well-toasted than the other. This is ideal when different household members have different shade preferences.

What to look for in a quality toaster

Defrost

The defrost setting adds some extra toasting time so you can toast bread directly from frozen. This is useful to have if you often freeze loaves.

Bagel setting

The bagel setting is designed for any breads that are thicker than average, such as bagels and English muffins. It extends the toasting time while lowering the temperature, so bagels and other thick breads are warmed through without getting burned on the outside.

Cool-touch exterior

Toasters with a cool-touch exterior don’t get hot on the outside during use. This keeps users from accidentally scalding themselves and is great if you have kids in your household who use the toaster.

How much you can expect to spend on a toaster

Basic two-slice toasters start at around $10, while high-end four-slice toasters can cost up to $75.

Toaster FAQ

What are the best toasters for large slices of bread?

A. It’s frustrating when large slices of bread won’t fit in the toaster. You’re forced to either cut part of the slice off or turn the slice during toasting which results in the center of the slice being more toasted than the top and bottom. The best toasters for oversized slices are four-slice toasters with two extra long slots rather than four standard side-by-side slots. These can fit wider or taller slices of bread than other types of toaster. You might only be able to fit two slices in a four-slice toaster, but at least they’ll be evenly toasted.

Why doesn’t my toaster toast evenly on both sides?

A. If your toaster toasts extremely unevenly, it might be old and needs replacing. However, uneven toasting is a common complaint with toasters. If you buy a quality toaster, you shouldn’t have any notable unevenness. That said, a little unevenness is expected due to heat fluctuations and bread shape. If this bothers you, rotate the bread during toasting.

What’s the best toaster to buy?

Top toaster

Cuisinart Metal Classic 4-Slice Toaster

What you need to know: This roomy toaster toasts four slices at once, making it perfect for families and serious toast lovers.

What you’ll love: Each pair of slots has independent controls, which is great when making toast for two people with different shade preferences. It has bagel, defrost and reheat settings and an attractive brushed stainless steel finish.

What you should consider: It has trouble fitting taller-than-average, rectangular slices of bread.

Top toaster for the money

Hamilton Beach Extra-Wide Slot Toaster

What you need to know: An affordable two-slice toaster with extra wide slots perfect for bagels and English muffins.

What you’ll love: It’s simple to use with a shade selection dial and auto-shutoff when your toast has reached the desired shade. You can choose either red or black versions, and both colors feature stainless steel sides.

What you should consider: It’s a solid toaster for the price, but it doesn’t have any extra settings, such as bagel and defrost settings.

Worth checking out

Elite Cuisine Long Slot Cool Touch Toaster

What you need to know: The long slots make it ideal for toasting homemade bread and other oversized slices.

What you’ll love: It can toast four standard slices or two extra-large slices. The slots are extra wide to easily fit bagels and similar items. You can choose from black, white or stainless steel finishes, and the reheat and defrost settings are handy.

What you should consider: It toasts darker than you might expect, so be conservative with your shade settings.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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