Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed the necessity of continued military pressure as a prerequisite for the release of hostages, a new equation in response to Hamas' demand for a permanent ceasefire to secure the hostages' release.
While Netanyahu has not issued a definitive rejection of Hamas' proposal, he dismissed its conditions as delusional.
Meanwhile, negotiations are scheduled to resume in Cairo on Thursday in another attempt to advance the prisoner exchange deal.
However, the Israeli army has intensified its operations in the Strip, deploying forces towards Rafah, maintaining the equation of escalating combat to subdue Hamas and secure the release of prisoners.
Amidst the impasse over the prisoner exchange, various fronts have reignited security tensions, reigniting the war of attrition.
The military has launched operations in the western areas of Rafah, considering them a strategic stronghold for Hamas leadership. In retaliation, Hamas has resumed targeting southern Israeli towns with its missiles.
Along the Lebanese border, several areas were targeted with anti-tank missiles launched by Hezbollah, hitting a house and military zones near the border, as well as the town of Kiryat Shmona, resulting in severe injuries to an officer and at least two other soldiers.
The heightened tension with Lebanon has prompted some security officials to call for extensive military operations parallel to diplomatic negotiations that may restore calm to the borders.
At the same time, local mayors have rallied for increased protests, demanding immediate security measures through intensified fighting akin to the situation in Gaza.
All this occurred as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken departed Israel without significant progress on either the prisoner exchange or the post-war scenario.
The internal Israeli split has deepened, especially with the resurgence of protests against the judicial reform plan, demanding immediate elections and government dissolution.