‘No deal is imminent,’ one of the U.S. officials said. ‘I’m not sure it ever gets done.’
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Despite making hopeful remarks about an imminent hostage deal and ceasefire in Gaza for weeks, US officials are finally admitting privately that such an agreement is unlikely before US President Joe Biden leaves office, the Wall Street Journal reports.
At the same time, US officials said they would continue to pursue a peace agreement to avoid an escalation of tensions that could spread beyond the region.
Although US officials acknowledge that they could encourage the warring parties on “90 percent” of the agreement, several sticking points between Hamas and Israel prevent a deal from proceeding.
“No deal is imminent,” one of the U.S. officials said. “I’m not sure it ever gets done.”
Top-level officials in the White House, State Department, and Pentagon cited the number of type of Palestinian prisoners Hamas wants to be released in exchange for hostages and Israel’s desire to maintain control of the Philadelphi corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt as two main reasons for the impasse.
Many officials are frustrated with Hamas’s intransigence and habit of making more demands without then saying “yes” even when the demands are fulfilled. These officials have wondered if Hamas wants a deal or is pretending to negotiate to bolster its image.
Other officials are impatient with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that Israel maintain control of the Philadelphi corridor.
“There’s no chance now of it happening,” an official from an Arab country said.“Everyone is in a wait-and-see mode until after the election. The outcome will determine what can happen in the next administration.”
John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, told reporters Wednesday that chances of a deal were “daunting.” Although there were times an agreement seemed imminent, “we aren’t any closer to that now than we were even a week ago.”
Biden administration officials are dismayed that the absence of a hostage release deal and ceasefire agreement by the time the President leaves office could leave a stain on his legacy.
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