JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Pledges from Israel and its enemies Hamas and Hezbollah to keep fighting in Gaza and Lebanon dashed hopes on Friday that the death of Palestinian militant leader Yahya Sinwar might hasten an end to more than a year of escalating war in the Middle East.

Israel had hunted the architect of the 7 October atrocities for more than a year. A chance encounter in Rafah got him.

Israel's military said Thursday it may have killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. In short statement, Israel's Defense Forces said that during operations in the Gaza Strip it had killed three Hamas militants and it was investigating whether one of them was Sinwar.

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday there was an opportunity to deal with Israel and Iran in a way that potentially ends their conflict in the Middle East for a while.

President Joe Biden is getting praise even from many Israeli conservatives as he stands in solidarity with their country after the Hamas attack.

But much work remains before us," Biden said in a statement."I will be speaking soon with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to congratulate them, to discuss the pathway for bringing the hostages home to their families,