The Wall Street Journal has reported, citing U.S. officials, that Washington does not expect a ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas before the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January.
Senior officials from the White House, State Department, and Pentagon told the American newspaper that the chances of Israel and Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire and a prisoner release deal before Biden’s departure are slim.
The sources emphasized that the percentage of Palestinian prisoners Israel would need to release in exchange for the Israeli captives remains a major sticking point.
The same sources added that a two-day offensive against Hezbollah—using explosive devices (pagers) and wireless communication devices (walkie-talkies)—followed by Israeli airstrikes has heightened the likelihood of a full-scale war, complicating diplomatic efforts with Hamas.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters on Thursday, prior to the report’s publication, “I can tell you, we do not believe the deal is collapsing.”
Israeli Proposal
These developments come shortly after Hebrew media reported that Israel is preparing a new proposal regarding Gaza, which it plans to present to intermediaries. The proposal includes the release of all captives at once.
The Israeli plan suggests the release of all captives in exchange for Yahya Sinwar (Hamas’ political bureau chief) and other leaders leaving Gaza via a safe passage.
However, Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha stated that Yahya Sinwar and the resistance leadership would not abandon the battlefield, describing the Israeli deal as yet another ploy by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Two weeks ago, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that 90% of a ceasefire agreement had been reached.
For months, the U.S. and intermediaries from Qatar and Egypt have been working to broker a ceasefire, but these efforts have failed to lead to a final deal between Israel and Hamas.
There are two main obstacles that remain difficult to overcome. The first is Israel’s demand to maintain forces at the Philadelphi Route (Salah al-Din Corridor) between Gaza and Egypt. The second is the details of the prisoner exchange, with Israel holding Palestinian prisoners.
The U.S. has said that reaching a ceasefire in Gaza could ease tensions in the Middle East, amid fears that the conflict could expand.
On May 31, President Biden proposed a three-phase ceasefire plan, which Israel reportedly accepted. However, with talks stalled, officials have indicated for weeks that a new proposal is expected soon.
With full U.S. backing, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7, which has left over 136,000 Palestinians dead or injured, most of them women and children, with more than 10,000 missing, all while causing immense destruction and a deadly famine.
In blatant disregard of the international community, Israel continues its assault, ignoring U.N. Security Council calls for an immediate ceasefire and International Court of Justice orders to prevent genocide and alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.
