Fighting Continues In Gaza After Ceasefire Talks Falter

Opposition leader Yair Lapid told Kan's Reshet Bet radio that the government should consider ending its military operation in the Gaza Strip after reaching a number goals after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared determined to press on with the offensive against Palestinian paramilitaries.

• The Prime Minister said on Wednesday that Israel was "at the height of the battle," with the Israeli Defence Forces dealing the Islamic Jihad "the hardest blow" it had ever suffered. Speaking alongside Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant assured that the IDF are prepared for a prolonged conflict.
• Israel's military said this morning that it conducted strikes against 158 sites operated by the Islamic Jihad, including ammunition depots and rocket-launching sites. It also assassinated the paramilitary group's senior military commander this morning in a further escalation of fighting.
• An official with the Islamic Jihad said that the targeted killings of its fighters carried out by Israel are a key hurdle to any ceasefire talks. Press reports suggested that Egypt has been trying to broker a truce, but its efforts faltered, with a senior Israeli MP Yuli Edelstein noting that his country could not accept the proposed terms.