A truce between Israel and Hamas may come as early as Friday, May 21, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing participants in the discussions.

The US and other countries' officials told the newspaper that Egyptian officials have made progress in negotiations with the Hamas leadership. According to a US official, the Biden administration believes a ceasefire could be achieved this week, provided that unforeseen clashes do not interfere with discussions.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and several other European countries are working to force the leaders of Israel and Hamas in Gaza to end the violence.

A US spokesman said the only problem was timing. There are also fears that the Islamic Jihad, a militant group fighting on the side of Hamas, could provoke further developments after the parties agree in principle to a ceasefire.

The day before, President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting that he expects today a significant de-escalation on the path to a ceasefire.

After the conversation, Netanyahu said that he was determined to continue this operation until its goal is achieved: to restore peace and security for the citizens of Israel.