Israel: Fighting continues and negotiations stall

IDF said that its troops are raiding certain sections of Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, a complex of buildings where thousands of people are sheltering and conditions for patients continue to grow increasingly grim.  Fighting has been raging nearby for days, and the hospital was struck at least four times over the weekend. Israeli commanders say that Hamas fighters have built an underground operational hub and tunnels under the hospital. They have accused Hamas of using patients and doctors as human shields. Separately, on Monday, the IDF said that abandoned AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide vests were discovered in Al-Rantisi children’s hospital, as well as a tunnel entrance was found nearby. On the rhetorical level, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant reiterated that Israel’s fight will not end until hostages are freed and the group ceases all activity. Looking ahead, the fighting is likely to continue for the coming weeks and possibly months. As far as I am concerned, no clearly viable military strategy, or the outlines of a possible organizational future for the Gaza Strip can be seen. Negotiations appear to have stalled, and in any case, they were never about a full cessation of hostilities and the release of all prisoners.  At the same time, anti-semitic accidents and pro-Palestinian rallies around the world continue.