The Wall Street Journal reports that multiple US officials are sceptical about the possibility of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza before President Joe Biden leaves office in January. The officials, who remain unnamed, cited two main obstacles to a deal: the number of Palestinian prisoners Israel must release in exchange for each captive held by Hamas, and rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite this, officials in Washington have publicly expressed their commitment to continuing efforts towards a ceasefire agreement. The US has been working alongside mediators from Qatar and Egypt for months to try to bring the two parties to a final agreement. President Biden outlined a three-phase ceasefire proposal on May 31, which Israel reportedly agreed to. The ongoing violence, which began nearly a year ago with a surprise attack by Hamas, has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, a hunger crisis, displacement of the population, and a genocide case at the World Court. The US presidential election is scheduled for November 5, with Vice President Kamala Harris running against Republican Donald Trump.
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