Multiple senior U.S. officials have expressed skepticism that a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas will be reached before the end of President Joe Biden’s term, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. “No deal is imminent. I’m not sure it ever gets done,” one U.S. official told the Journal on condition of anonymity. One of the major obstacles to a deal has been the ratio of Palestinian prisoners Israel is being asked to release in exchange for hostages. According to U.S. officials, Hamas has been making demands, only to reject potential agreements after Israel accepts them. “There’s no chance now of it happening,” an official from an Arab state told the newspaper, adding that both sides are in “wait-and-see mode” until after the U.S. election, which they believe will influence the outcome of any future negotiations. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah are further complicating the situation. Hezbollah has been launching near-daily attacks on Israel in support of Hamas during more than 11 months of fighting in Gaza. The tensions have escalated after mass detonations of Hezbollah’s communication devices injured thousands of terrorists, and subsequent Israeli airstrikes on over 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers in Lebanon. U.S. officials from the White House, State Department, and Pentagon acknowledged that the possibility of a full-blown conflict between Israel and Hezbollah complicates ongoing diplomacy between Israel and Hamas. Despite the challenges, officials emphasized that it would be “irresponsible” to stop pursuing a deal. “As we’ve said from the outset, it is going to require leadership and compromise,” one official told the Journal. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh insisted on Thursday that the U.S. does not believe a potential deal is falling apart, while White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby admitted that no progress has been made, saying, “We aren’t any closer to [a deal] now than we were even a week ago.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)