Netanyahu Says Israel's Operations In Gaza Continues After Sinwar Dies, US President: Time For War To End

US President Joe Biden at the door of the Air Force One presidential plane. (Wikimedia Commons/The White House)

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden said it was time to end the war in the Gaza Strip, after Israel confirmed the death of militant group leader Hamas Yahya Sinwar, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel's operations would continue.

Speaking to reporters on arrival in Germany to attend a meeting with the European Quartet with Germany, France, and Britain to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war until Middle East conditions, President Biden said he had congratulated Netanyahu from Israel.

"Now is the time to move. Move, move towards a ceasefire in Gaza, make sure we move in a direction that puts us in a position to make things better for the whole world," President Biden said.

"It's time for this war to end and take the hostages home," he said.

As previously reported, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Yahya Sinwar was killed in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

"After completing the process of identifying the bodies, it can be ascertained that Yahya Sinwar has been killed," said the IDF.

The killings took place during a land operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah where Israeli forces killed three militants and retrieved their bodies, Israeli Army Radio said.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Israel's pursuit of Sinwar over the past year had prompted him "to act like a fugitive, causing him to move locations several times."

He said the army had visited Sinwar during routine operations without knowing its whereabouts, unlike other operations against militant leaders based on comprehensive intelligence.

Speaking from Jerusalem after Sinwar's death was confirmed, PM Netanyahu said the death of the Hamas leader offered peace opportunities in the Middle East, but warned the war in Gaza was not over and Israel would continue until its hostages were repatriated.

"Today we have resolved the problem. Today the crime has been hit by a problem but our job is still not finished," PM Netanyahu said in a video recording statement.

"To the family of the beloved hostages, I say: This is an important moment in war. We will continue to fight with full strength until everyone you love, our loved ones, go home," he continued.

There has been no immediate comment from Hamas, but sources in the militant group said indications from Gaza suggest Sinwar had been killed in Israeli operations.