Israel has been saying for days that it is ready for a full ground offensive in Gaza, but outside of limited incursions, the infantry is on standby. According to The New York Times, the US, through its defence secretary, urged his Israeli counterpart to hold off. This in a bid to secure the release of more hostages, like the pair of Americans freed after negotiations brokered by Qatar.
With Israel now putting the number of abducted at 222, we ask how that bargaining is going and how the leadership is handling the crisis.
