US officials have shifted their expectations and now believe that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is unlikely before President Joe Biden leaves office in January, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
The report, which referenced unnamed senior figures within the White House, State Department, and Pentagon, indicated that although progress has been made in discussions, significant hurdles still stand in the way of an agreement.
“There’s no deal on the horizon,” one US official stated. “I’m doubtful it will ever come to fruition.”
Nevertheless, officials emphasized that the administration remains committed to pursuing an agreement, viewing it as the only solution to end the conflict in Gaza and to deescalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
The US has been pushing for a ceasefire and a hostage release plan, initially proposed by President Joe Biden in May, but Hamas has consistently turned down each suggestion.
Last week, Hamas reiterated its readiness for an “immediate” ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, referring to an earlier US proposal, but without introducing any new conditions from other involved parties.
Despite Hamas rejecting previous proposals, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to temper the pessimism surrounding the hostage deal, assuring that a fresh proposal would be presented “very soon.”
“In terms of the ceasefire, here’s what I can say: More than 90 percent of the points have been agreed upon. We are now dealing with a few remaining issues – not even a handful – and while they’re challenging, we firmly believe they can be resolved,” Blinken said to reporters last week. “As we’ve noted before, when you’re close to the end, those final steps are always the toughest. But we’re confident that they can be settled.”
“We’re currently working very closely with our Egyptian and Qatari partners to close the remaining gaps. In the near future, we’ll present this to the involved parties and see their response,” Blinken added.
On Monday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed that the US is continuing to work with Egypt and Qatar on drafting an updated ceasefire proposal.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield pointed out that success ultimately hinges on the political will of the parties.
“We are still collaborating with Egypt and Qatar in efforts to advance negotiations that will be acceptable to both sides. But while we will continue to work hard on the language and innovative solutions, in the end, this all boils down to political will,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
{Matzav.com}