According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials now consider it unlikely that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will be reached before President Joe Biden’s term ends in January.
The newspaper cited senior officials from the White House, State Department, and Pentagon.
However, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh stated, “I can tell you that we do not believe that deal is falling apart,” during a press briefing before the report was released.
For months, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other officials have indicated that a ceasefire deal had been in the works. Nonetheless, the ceasefire has become a dream only despite repeated trips by Biinken and talks with the key stakeholders.
Meanwhile, as Israel’s 11-month war on Gaza continues, U.S. officials are increasingly concerned that the conflict could spill over into neighboring Lebanon. This comes after synchronized attacks earlier this week, involving pager and walkie-talkie blasts, left dozens dead and thousands injured—an unprecedented assault for which Beirut has blamed Tel Aviv.
The attacks followed intense Israeli missile strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday and retaliatory rocket fire from Hezbollah, heightening fears of a broader conflict and triggering urgent calls for de-escalation.
In an interview, a senior U.S. State Department official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged the risk of the Gaza war extending into Lebanon.
“The pager attacks were deeply troubling,” the official said. “We’re certainly concerned about the potential for the conflict to spread. No one wants to see the violence expand. The U.S. is working with all parties to prevent further escalation.”
The prospect of an Israel-Lebanon conflict carries the danger of entangling the U.S. in a more complex situation—something the Biden administration is keen to avoid.
4o
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
