Despite the fact that the war is not over there are a few signs that life is beginning to return to some kind of normal. One of our TV stations has swapped out the daily “At War” news and put on a version of the prewar morning talk show with hourly news breaks. The Commander of the IDF Southern command removed travel restrictions in several areas near the Gaza border. The army has restarted a number of training courses, including recruit training. These are just baby steps. The country is still very much at war. We still have thousands of people displaced from their homes in the north, but the overall feeling I have is that we are going back to a sort of normal.
IDF activity in the Gaza hospitals continues. A number of mid-level Hamas commanders were eliminated. No medical staff or patients were harmed in any way. Hezbollah still launches many rockets into Israel every day. One of their teams fired on a UNIFIL patrol and injured several UN soldiers (who are not permitted to fire back).
The US abstention on a UN vote last week had the expected effect. Hamas interpreted it as support for their position and are therefore even less likely to reach agreement on a hostage swap. The end of Ramadan is approaching and Hamas propaganda is busily encouraging ALL Palestinians to engage in attacks on Jews (Yes. The word used was Jews, not Israelis or Zionists). It looks to me like there are more pictures out there showing how false the Hamas (and UN) claims of starvation in Gaza really are.
After Ramadan ends I expect to see some changes, both in Rafah and in Lebanon,
Wetherhorn 