Mughrabi, Timour Azhari and Laila BassamCAIRO/BEIRUT (Reuters) -Prospects of a ceasefire between Israel and its foes Hamas and Hezbollah ran aground on Friday as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 64 people in the Gaza Strip,

Lebanon's prime minister said US envoy Amos Hochstein had signalled during a phone call Wednesday that a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war was possible before US elections are held on November 5.

BEIRUT (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. envoys on Thursday that Israel's ability to counter threats to its security from Lebanon and return displaced people to the north were key elements of any ceasefire deal with Lebanon.

US envoy Amos Hochstein has begun talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an effort to secure a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. An Israeli government spokeswoman confirmed that the meeting took place on Thursday.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati mentioned that Hezbollah had relaxed its stance, no longer linking a ceasefire in Lebanon to a truce in Gaza

Lebanon's prime minister accused Israel on Friday of rejecting a ceasefire after the Israeli military bombed Hezbollah's south Beirut stronghold for the first time this week. In Gaza, where Israel has been engaged in a major offensive in the north for nearly a month, a Hamas official said the group had rejected a proposal for a short-term truce.

The U.S. asked Lebanon to declare a unilateral ceasefire with Israel to revive stalled talks to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, a senior Lebanese political source and a senior diplomat said - a claim denied by Lebanon's prime minister.