Description: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have entered the city of Janin in the West Bank as a tank column rolled in an operation that could last up to a year, according to IDF officials. The operation was launched in order to uproot terrorist and militant activities in the West Bank as the Israeli military campaign continues amid the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Tensions between Israel and Hamas are substantially elevated as the latest hostage exchanges didn’t go according to the predetermined conditions of the agreement. Israeli PM Netanyahu also warned that IDF forces could return to their military campaign at any given moment. Hamas officials have condemned the operation in the West Bank and repeatedly warned of Israel’s violations in the hostage exchanges as they haven’t received the 600 Palestinian prisoners in the latest.
Impact: Pressure mounts around the Gaza ceasefire agreement as negotiations regarding the second and third phase are set to begin this week. Israel’s campaign in the West Bank and general military readiness on the highest levels undermines the ceasefire agreement as Hamas have also vowed to return to armed confrontations. The fragile ceasefire can only be prolonged with interventions from the mediators as both Israel and Hamas are looking to reignite armed fighting. Meetings between officials and intense diplomatic efforts could be expected as the faltering of the ceasefire agreement threatens wider regional instability and continued security and humanitarian crisis in the region.