Israel enters Gaza City amid international calls for a ceasefire

The IDF stated that it reached “the heart of Gaza City,” as it is surrounded by all sides, and the Gaza Strip is effectively split in half. What is likely happening right now, or will take place in the immediate future is door-to-door urban warfare, as well as underground guerrilla. In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel could take “overall security responsibility” for Gaza after the war, which is the clearest indication of Israel's mid-term intentions. Netanyahu does not appear to have an exit strategy, he intends to stay in Gaza.  In response to Netanyahu’s comments, the White House said a reoccupation of Gaza by Israel would not be “the right thing to do”. Indeed, such an approach could further foment radicalization, and endanger even more Israeli security.  Nevertheless, Netanyahu has also hinted that Israel may consider “tactical pauses” in fighting to allow for the safe release of hostages and delivery of aid into Gaza. However, the PM remains adamant that Israel will not accept a total cease-fire until all 200-plus hostages being held by Hamas are released. Away from the region, the UNSC has failed to approve a comprehensive document calling for a ceasefire, due to a US veto. Likewise, the UN Secretary-General appears to be increasingly oriented in a pro-Palestinian direction and stopped genuine attempts to mediate. Lastly, while the US has vetoed the resolution that Israel opposed, within the State Department discontent is growing among low and mid-level diplomats, who believe that the discrepancy in public and private messaging by senior diplomats is hurting their country's standing in the world. A hot topic is the civilian top among Palestinians, as concerns are raised privately but not aired publicly. Looking ahead, the conflict is nowhere near an end, as its crucial phase, in Gaza City itself and underground has not fully started. Most likely, the conflict will continue for weeks if not months, and a return to “life as usual” is highly unlikely in the short term.