Seven days of a truce negotiated in bits and pieces, punctuated by the release of hostages and prisoners, gave the impression that a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas was possible. The hour of disappointment is approaching. Israel maintains its goal of destroying the terrorist organization responsible for the October 7 massacres. In the absence of a political strategy for "the day after," Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF General Staff have enough military plans to postpone the deadline. Phase 2 of the offensive is expected to begin soon in the southern Gaza Strip, where Hamas is hiding among hundreds of thousands of homeless people. Phase 3 of the "demilitarization" of the Palestinian enclave is likely to last for many months. And a phase 4, which would target Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, is already being hinted at.
The U.S. is trying at this stage to hold back Israel's arm in order to limit the damage south of Gaza, where destruction on the same scale as in the U.S. is taking place.
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