Netanyahu: Gaza Ground Operation Inevitable; Arab League To Meet Weds

Axios reporting that according to its sources, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden in a call on 8 Oct that "We have to go in. We can't negotiate now," referring to a ground invasion of the Gaza strip by Israeli forces in the future. Axios: "Netanyahu told Biden that Israel had no other choice but to respond with force because a country can't show weakness in the Middle East."We need to restore deterrence," Netanyahu told Biden, according to the three sources. Biden did not try to press Netanyahu or convince him not to go through with a ground operation."

• A full ground invasion of the Gaza strip by the IDF would risk a much longer conflict. This would be exacerbated if a second front develops in the north of Israel along the Lebanese border. Hezbollah have already fired rockets into Israel, while gunmen have engaged with IDF troops having attempted to cross the border.
• Separately, the League of Arab Nations has convened a meeting for Wednesday 11 Oct at the behest of its Palestinian delegation. The meeting will discuss ways "to stop the Israeli aggression" according to a statement from the League reported among regional press and wire services.
• The League's meeting could give an indication as to the stances of other MENA nations towards to emerging conflict. There is already speculation about the state of Israel-Saudi normalisation talks in the wake of the escalation, with any further progress very unlikely while Israel-Hamas fighting continues.