Israeli officials have agreed to “postpone” the invasion of the Gaza Strip by at least a day tonight, with those familiar with the situation saying that it is meant to give Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire more time.
Israeli government ministers held a late-night meeting regarding the ongoing talks, but declined to offer any insight on what was said or how close a deal might be. Some outlets say the talks may be close, while others are less hopeful.
Violence continued today as Israeli warplanes continued to attack the strip, bringing the overall death toll to at least 111, with the vast majority of the slain civilians, and even Israel’s military leadership admonishing commanders on the ground to stop attacking random houses.
Hamas officials are said to be pushing for a long-term ceasefire deal that would include an ending of the Israeli siege on the strip. Though some Israeli officials have also expressed a preference for a long-term deal it should be noted that Hamas was making the exact same push last Monday, and that reaction was a dramatic escalation of Israeli attacks.