WASHINGTON—Despite months of painstaking effort, senior U.S. officials say they don’t expect Israel and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire and a hostage-release deal before the end of President Biden’s term.

Officials in Israel's defense establishment are now strenuously contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence that Israel maintain control of the narrow strip of land along the Gaza-Egypt border known as the Philadelphi Corridor,

Sacking Yoav Gallant would remove the anchor of Israel’s relationship with the U.S. and a fierce advocate of a cease-fire in Gaza.