Immune to discouragement
In the latest hours, Israel’s political and military leadership signaled a hardline stance alongside cautious diplomacy. A fresh talk about a partial ceasefire between Hamas and Israel circulated, with hostages still in the balance. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the army would intensify clashes in the near term and that the war would endure for a long stretch. Similar resolve was echoed by the Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi, who stressed that there is no shortcut to dismantling a terrorist organization. In the last hours, at least 241 Palestinians have lost their lives as renewed bombardments hit the Gaza Strip, a place already scarred by years of deprivation and destruction.
Inside an opinion piece published by The Wall Street Journal, Netanyahu outlined the aims of the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza. Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza must be demilitarized, and Palestinian society should be deradicalized. These pillars, he argued, would form the foundation for future peace with Israel and its neighbors in the region. Yet, the two-month offensive has yielded a bleak balance sheet. Much of Hamas’s leadership remains at large, including three senior figures central to the operation that killed nearly 1,200 civilians in southern Israel. Muhammad Deif, the commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades, is reported to be directing operations from underground bunkers and coordinating hostage negotiations from afar. Mervan Isa and Yahya Sinwar, key Hamas leaders in Gaza, are also said to maintain command over ongoing military actions and talks from secure locations.
Even if the Israeli campaign achieves its stated objective of reducing Hamas’s capabilities, the ambition to deradicalize Hamas appears elusive. History shows that Hamas has repeatedly reconstituted itself after the removal of its core leaders, a pattern seen in earlier assassinations of Sheikh Ahmed Yasin and other figures. The cycle underscores a persistent challenge for any attempt to transform deeply entrenched militant networks in the region.
Relentless resilience
The humanitarian response is increasingly mounting pressure for a ceasefire led by the United Nations and supported by international partners. Officials from the World Health Organization have been able to visit Deir al-Balah hospital in central Gaza City and heard from families about the devastation they have endured. They described the Gaza refugee camps and the nearby health facilities as scenes of heartbreak where dozens of lives were lost in a recent bombing. The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, asserted that the latest wave of bombardments highlights the urgent need for a humanitarian pause. Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency, echoed that sentiment, stressing that a humanitarian pause is essential to avert a broader catastrophe in Gaza and to facilitate life-saving aid for civilians.
Locals and relatives of hostages have intensified public pressure on Israeli leaders. In parliament, protesters broke into a formal session, shouting for immediate negotiations and displaying placards demanding the release of their loved ones. Since the start of the ground campaign, demonstrators have organized rallies calling for an end to hostilities and progress toward negotiations. Hamas has insisted it will not release additional hostages unless Israeli military actions are halted. Mediators from Egypt and Qatar are actively seeking a ceasefire, but both sides report substantial gaps in position.
A broader fear remains that the conflict could widen into a regional war. Southern Lebanon is tense with activity from Shiite militias, and the border area has seen daily exchanges. In Yemen, the Houthis have escalated strikes on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. Nearly two hundred people have died in this broader theater since October, with casualties mounting on both sides. The United States has stepped up military actions against pro-Iranian groups in Iraq, drawing criticism from Baghdad and broader regional actors. The situation remains highly fluid, with international actors urging restraint while monitoring any escalation that could draw more nations into the conflict.