From the point of view of Netanyahu’s coalition government, there is no change – the war goes on. For Hamas, the fighting from tunnels continues. And for the Palestinian people being killed in Gaza – the war goes on.
For mediators in Egypt, Qatar and the United States, there is going to be some head-scratching while they try to figure out how to take things forward. What next?
You could hear the disappointment in Antony Blinken’s voice at the press conference yesterday. He came to get a deal and he didn’t get it. He reminded me of a spurned lover who just had a massive rejection but still thinks he’s got a chance.
He’s still going to try to bridge the huge gap between Israel and Hamas. He might be right, there might be a chance. But at the moment he’s going back to Washington, DC empty-handed.
