US officials reportedly rule out prospect of Israel- Hamas ceasefire deal this year

A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is unlikely before President Joe Biden leaves office in January, top-level US officials have reportedly claimed.

The Wall Street Journal said it had spoken to officials in the White House, State Department and Pentagon, with one claiming:”No deal is imminent. I’m not sure it ever gets done.” 

Former top UK diplomat Lord Ricketts appeared on Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday and also ruled out the prospect of a Gaza ceasefire any time soon.

Former national security chief Ricketts also said Israel and Hezbollah were now on a “ladder of escalation.”

It is claimed two key obstacles to a ceasefire deal in Gaza remain – the number of Palestinian prisoners Israel must release in exchange for each captive held by Hamas, and the heightening conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

In public both British and American officials have spoken as though a ceasefire deal is still achievable in the near future.

“I can tell you that we do not believe that deal is falling apart,” Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh insisted.

On Friday, responding to the growing conflict in Lebanon, foreign secretary David Lammy continued to call for a “political settlement” in the Middle East and once again for a ceasefire.

Israelcarried out extensive air strikes on southern Lebanon, saying its warplanes have hit more than 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers and other “terrorist sites” including a weapons storage facility.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the launchers were ready to be fired against Israel. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Israel carried out at least 52 strikes in the south of the country on Thursday evening. Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it had also launched strikes on military sites in northern Israel.

The Israeli air strikes, which lasted more than two hours, were some of the most intense of the recent conflict.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said two weeks ago that 90 percent of a ceasefire deal had been agreed upon.

Washington has been working with mediators Qatar and Egypt to try and bring Israel and Hamas to a final agreement.