Israel Returns to Cairo Talks as Netanyahu Vows More Airstrikes

Israel Talks Up Long Gaza War Publicly, But Negotiations Continuing

At a news conference today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed the idea of a negotiated settlement with Hamas, saying Israel was looking at an “extended operation” against the Gaza Strip.

Israel made much publicly of withdrawing their negotiators from Cairo yesterday, though Arab media are reporting that another delegation has already arrived today for continuing negotiations on both a fresh ceasefire and an eventual peace deal.

The ceasefire seems possible, though Israel’s cabinet is said to be pretty strongly against any peace deal on any terms, and continues to push for more escalations without any eye toward settling the conflict at all.

Still, one must remember that Israel and Hamas, in public comments, both tend toward bluster even when peace talks are advancing, so the talk of a protracted war from this point could just as easily be a bargaining tactic as an accurate assessment of the situation as it stands.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.