Biden says end to war in Gaza hard to achieve as Israel.

US President Joe Biden has said there is a “possibility of working towards a ceasefire” in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting the armed group Hezbollah, but added that “it’s going to be harder in Gaza” despite the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar earlier this week.

He was speaking as he left Berlin, where he met the German, French and British leaders. Sinwar’s death had raised hopes in some quarters of an end to the war in Gaza.

But on Friday the deputy leader of Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya, insisted it would only strengthen the group. He said Israeli hostages would not be returned until Israel ended the war and withdrew from Gaza.

Meanwhile Israel escalated its assault on the Jabalia refugee camp, a densely-populated urban area north of Gaza City which Israeli forces have besieged for two weeks, sending another army unit to support troops already operating there.

Sinwar was responsible for the deadly Hamas attack on Israeli communities near Gaza on 7 October last year.