Kamala Harris: US Vice President says killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is a chance to end bloodshed

US Vice President Kamala Harris has spoken about a potential end to the war in Gaza after Israeli troops killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Wednesday.

The leadership of Hamas is on its knees after Sinwar was hunted down and killed by an elite regiment of IDF paratroopers, and the current democratic nominee for the US presidency called for this moment to be used as a potential catalyst for an end to the bloodshed on both sides.

Ms Harris said the death of Yahya Sinwar was a chance for people in the region to start to think about “the day after” when Hamas no longer dominates the territory.

“Justice has been served,” Vice President Harris said.

Echoing US President Joe Biden’s statement soon after the news broke of the Hamas leader’s death Ms Harris added: “The US, Israel and the wider world were better off as a result”.

“Hamas is decimated and its leadership is eliminated,” she said.

“This moment allows us to finally end the war in Gaza. The end of the conflict had to be accompanied by security for Israel, the release of the remaining hostages and an end to suffering in Gaza.”

She also hinted at her support for Palestinian statehood by saying it should herald Palestinians’ rights to “dignity, security, freedom and self-determination”.

President Biden’s statement was forthright in its support for the elimination of the Hamas leadership in the hope of restoring peace as the growing humanitarian crisis engulfs the region.

“Israel has had every right to eliminate the leadership and military structure of Hamas,” Mr Biden said.

He added that Sinwar had represented an “insurmountable obstacle” to a better future for Israelis and Palestinians and “That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains before us.”

President Biden added he would talk to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders about “ending this war once and for all”.