As the clock ticks down on the Gaza ceasefire, Israel prepares for more war

The Gaza ceasefire looks increasingly like it may end up being a fleeting interlude.

One month ago, Israelis and Palestinians felt that rarest of things: optimism. After months of stalled talks, there was finally a ceasefire in Gaza. There seemed to be a real path towards the end of the war. But the situation has changed drastically since then. The 42-day truce between Israel and Hamas is set to expire this weekend unless an agreement is struck to extend it. The two sides were meant to begin talks on a permanent end to the war in early February; three weeks later, they still haven’t started. Since the deal was struck, there’s been a vibe shift in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is buoyed by the return of US President Donald Trump and under pressure from far-right members of his own cabinet to return to war. The Gaza ceasefire looks increasingly like it may end up being a fleeting interlude. “We are ready to return to intense combat at any moment,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told graduating military officers on Sunday. “The operational plans are ready.”