As the Israel-Hamas war in West Asia protracted for Day 57, a series of developments resulted in a deadlock in truce negotiations.
The conflict is facing an imminent threat of a spillover beyond the immediate theatre in the Gaza Strip, with Israel’s fighter jets targeting numerous Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon in response to repeated rocket attacks on northern Israel.
Tensions escalated further when Lebanon fired rockets at the border area, prompting the IDF to respond with artillery shelling.
In a separate incident, a combat helicopter in Israel’s Galilee area downed a malfunctioning military drone, triggering sirens.
The IDF assured that the interception was controlled, mitigating security concerns. Amidst these events, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed concern, cautioning that Israel’s aim of eliminating Hamas could unleash a decade-long war.
The international community’s efforts to broker a truce faced challenges, exemplified by Mossad’s announcement that negotiations in Qatar reached a “dead end.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s directive led to the return of the negotiating team.
The Mossad’s statement said, “The Hamas terror group did not fulfill its obligations under the agreement that included releasing all the women and children that were on the list provided to Hamas that had authorized it.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps held Israel responsible for the deaths of two members in Syria, who were on an advisory mission.
Turkey unleashes verbal attack on US
Turkey, facing pressure from the United States to sever historic ties with Hamas, resisted the demand.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey views Hamas as a political party, not a terrorist organisation.
Watch | Israel-Hamas War: Grim cycle of death in Gaza
As the truce continued to hang in limbo, global leaders, including Macron, called for intensified efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire. The quest for a resolution is facing hurdles, leaving the region mired in uncertainty on Day 57.
(With inputs from agencies)
