US officials believe that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is desperate to strike a deal with Israel as he is "trapped" underground, with diminishing supplies and ammunition, according to an opinion column by Washington Post journalist David Ignatius on Wednesday.
Ignatius notes that while Sinwar may want an end to his dire situation, Hamas is "playing a waiting game," hoping that Iran or Hezbollah will attack Israel and change the dynamics on the ground.
However, Ignatius reports that Iran is likely to disappoint Hamas, as US officials estimate that Iranian leaders have decided to hold off on striking Israel, deterred by strong US warnings.
Instead, Tehran is pressuring Hezbollah to act on its behalf. According to US officials, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has reportedly scaled back his initial plan to launch a missile barrage on Tel Aviv, opting instead to target other sites.